Academic Policies
2002-2003 Catalog
Grades
All courses in the first three years are graded using a traditional letter-grade system. A grade of C or better is required to pass a course. Courses taken during the fourth year are graded on a pass/fail system. Grades are reported to the registrar as each course ends and are immediately available to students.From the grades reported each year, a weighted grade average is calculated for each student. At the end of the first and second years, class standing is determined only to award scholarships that require the use of such information. Once awards have been made, the information is not retained. Class rank is not available during the first two years. At the end of the third year, a weighted grade average is calculated both for cumulative academic performance at Southwestern and for performance in the third year (the first clinical year) only. This information is available for use in the residency application process. The class rank is never recorded on the permanent record (transcript).
Academic Counseling
Student performance is a concern of students, faculty and administrators. All work collaboratively to provide each student with the opportunity to perform at his or her highest potential. Academic counseling services are available to all students.Students experiencing academic difficulty are assisted primarily by the department in which the difficulty is occurring. Course directors make contact with students when warranted by academic performance. Course directors use a variety of resources with students experiencing difficulties, including faculty tutors, teaching assistants and/or resources outside their department, such as the learning specialist in the Office of Medical Education. Additionally, students are responsible for seeking assistance when necessary.
The associate deans for student affairs are always available to students, course directors, faculty or the learning specialist for complex issues impacting a student's performance. If the situation warrants, this may lead to referral to a variety of resources including faculty, the Office of Medical Education's learning specialist or Student Mental Health Services. All students who fail a course are seen by one of the associate deans for student affairs to further investigate any problems, as well as to inform them concerning the promotion process and their options.
Career Counseling
All students have access to various specialty interest groups and faculty advisors to explore their interests throughout the four years. At the end of the second year, medical students have the option of attending a workshop that provides a technique and resources for exploring and evaluating career options. Students also may discuss options with either of the associate deans for student affairs. Once senior students have selected a specialty, they are referred to that department for further counseling. All clinical departments assign a faculty member who is responsible for matching interested students with advisors from that department.
Grade Grievance Procedure
In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades or evaluations, it is first the obligation of the student to make a good-faith effort to resolve the matter with the faculty member involved. Further appeals should be directed to the course director and, if necessary, to the department chair. Primary responsibility for assigning grades and making evaluations rests with the course director acting for the chair of the relevant academic department.Appeals within the department must be filed within 30 days of the distribution of final course grades. The judgment of the academic department is final unless compelling evidence suggests discrimination, differential treatment or mistake.
Subsequent appeal to the dean must be submitted in writing with supporting evidence within 10 business days of the notification of the decision by the department chair. The determination of the dean is final.
Incomplete Course Work
Subject to the approval of the associate deans for student affairs, a student may receive an I for a course not completed if the instructor so recommends. The incomplete work must be completed within an interval of time prescribed in each instance by the course director and/or the Promotions Committee. If course work is not satisfactorily completed within the time prescribed, a failing grade will be recorded.Course Withdrawal
Extraordinary circumstances may necessitate that a student withdraw from a course. In these instances, subject to the approval of the associate deans for student affairs, a grade of W will be assigned.Promotion, Probation and Dismissal
When a student completes the course requirements of an academic session satisfactorily, he or she is promoted to the next year's class provided there are no reasons to make the procedure unwise.When an academic deficiency (a grade of D or F) is incurred, the student is referred to the Promotions Committee, which is composed of representatives from each teaching department of the medical school. Its function is to review all important aspects of each student case referred to it and to make appropriate recommendations to the dean.
The Promotions Committee, working within established guidelines, will determine a remediation plan, which may include repeating the year's work or the specific courses in which deficiencies exist or removal of the deficiency by whatever means the committee may propose. Serious or multiple deficiencies may result in dismissal.
When the student is allowed to repeat the work of a year or any part thereof, he or she will be required to achieve the grade level that the Promotions Committee stipulates. The student will function under academic probation during the time this work is being repeated. Further academic failure will prompt immediate reconsideration by the Promotions Committee. The Promotions Committee and the academic departments concerned may require the student to retake courses previously completed with a passing grade.
In situations where a student satisfactorily completes courses previously taken, the transcript will record both grades. If the course was completed with a passing grade on both attempts, the final grade will be the average of the two recorded grades. If the grade from the first attempt was a D or F and the course was completed with a passing grade on the second attempt, the final grade will be a C (irrespective of what grade was earned on the second attempt) and will count for 1.0 grade point (out of 4.0) for purposes of grade-average calculation.
Appealing Academic Decisions
A student may appeal any academic action of the Promotions Committee by forwarding a written appeal to the chairman of the Promotions Committee requesting reconsideration. The appeal must be received by the Promotions Committee chairman within 10 business days of the student's receipt of the notification of the Promotions Committee action.The chairman will review the written appeal and determine if the Promotions Committee has the discretion upon reconsideration to impose a lesser remedial action. If it is determined that the Promotions Committee can reconsider its previous decision, the Promotions Committee will review the written appeal and may meet with the student to discuss the student's grounds for appeal. To the extent schedules allow, the Promotions Committee will forward a written response to the student within 10 business days after receiving the appeal. If the student is not satisfied with the Promotions Committee's decision, the student may appeal to the dean by forwarding a written appeal to the dean within 10 business days after receipt of the Promotions Committee's decision.
If the Promotions Committee's chairman determines that the Promotions Committee has no discretion to, or decides not to, impose a lesser remedial action, the chairman shall refer the appeal to the dean for determination.
With either an appeal of the Promotions Committee's reconsidered decision or an appeal referred to the dean by the Promotions Committee's chairman, the dean shall have the discretion either to determine the appeal personally or to appoint an ad hoc committee to consider the appeal and to make a recommendation to the dean concerning the appeal's determination. In instances where the dean will consider the appeal, the dean will review the written appeal and may meet with the student to discuss the student's grounds for appeal. To the extent schedules allow, the dean will forward a written response to the student within 10 business days after receiving the appeal. In instances where the dean appoints an ad hoc committee, the committee will review the written appeal and may meet with the student to discuss the student's grounds for appeal. To the extent schedules allow, the ad hoc committee will forward a written recommendation to the dean within 10 business days after receiving the appeal. The dean will consider the ad hoc committee's written recommendation, either adopting, rejecting or modifying the ad hoc committee's recommendation and, to the extent schedules allow, forward a written response to the student within 10 business days after receiving the committee's recommendation.
In either case, the decision of the dean is final.
Policy Against Discrimination
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas adheres to Part Two, Chapter I, Section 6 of the regents' Rules and Regulations which provides as follows:To the extent provided by applicable law, no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored or conducted by The University of Texas System or any of its component institutions on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability.To ensure fair treatment of individual cases where discrimination is alleged and to maintain the integrity of the institution's academic system, grievances alleging discrimination should be resolved through use of the institution's internal procedures. Any grievances alleging discrimi-nation should be resolved as promptly as possible. Students are encouraged to use this procedure, and they will not be penalized in any way for filing complaints involving discrimination with the institution.
The student who feels discriminated against should seek resolution of the grievance through an appointment with the appropriate department chair or an associate dean for student affairs. The resources of the Office of Equal Opportunity also are available to the student. If the student cannot resolve the grievance through these routes, the student should appeal to the dean of the medical school. The dean will meet with the student and will elect to 1) call for the appropriate faculty committee to investigate the grievance and make recommendations concerning the matter, 2) choose to investigate the matter personally, or 3) refer the matter to the Office of Equal Opportunity for investigation. If the decision rendered by the dean is unsatisfactory to the student, the student may appeal to the president, who will render the final decision.
Dismissal and Withdrawal
The medical school (through action by the Promotions Committee and with the approval of the dean) may find it necessary to dismiss a student who has failed to maintain satisfactory scholastic performance, acceptable conduct or ethical standards. Extenuating circumstances may be considered in determining whether a student is advanced to a higher class, asked to repeat scholastic work or dismissed from school.Any medical student wishing to withdraw from school should so notify an associate dean for student affairs in writing and follow prescribed procedures provided at that time.
Leave of Absence
A leave of absence not to exceed one year may be granted to a student on request as long as the student is in good academic standing. Requests for a leave of absence are made to an associate dean for student affairs. A leave of absence for a student who has academic deficiencies requires the approval of the Promotions Committee.Student Conduct and Discipline
Students at the university neither lose the rights nor escape the responsibilities of citizenship. All students are expected to obey and conduct themselves in accordance with the law, including all penal and civil statutes of the local, state and federal government, the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, and university regulations and administrative rules. They may be disciplined by the university for violating these standards of conduct whether such conduct occurred on or off the campus or whether civil or criminal penalties also were imposed for such conduct.Each student, by registering, is under the jurisdiction of the dean of Southwestern Medical School. The associate deans for student affairs have primary responsibility for student conduct and authority for the administration of student discipline.
In any disciplinary action resulting from infractions of school regulations, students are entitled to and will receive reasonable notice of the charges against them and will be afforded an opportunity for an impartial hearing in accordance with Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, of the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents. A copy of the regents' Rules and Regulations is available in the Office of the Dean.
UT Southwestern has a professionalism policy that outlines standards of conduct for students, outlines how students and faculty are educated about these standards, and details the adjudication of violations of these standards. A copy of this policy is available from the Office of Student Affairs.
General Grievance Procedure
Grievances related to matters other than academic matters, disciplinary action, student professionalism and discrimination must be initiated by discussing and making an effort to resolve the matter with the individual who took the disputed action. If the matter is not resolved, the grievance must be submitted in writing within five business days to the appropriate department chair. Grievances not satisfactorily resolved by the department chair may then be appealed to the dean within five business days. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved by the dean, it may be appealed within five business days to the president, who will render the final decision.