The purpose of this policy is 1) to set the terms, definition, parameters and guidelines to determine the academic standing of a COM student at a particular stage of their curricular timeline; 2) to identify students’ acceptable progression across the curricular timeline based on their overall GPA and other qualitative requirements; 3) to identify eligibility for extracurricular activities; and 4) to identify at-risk students for providing additional help.
The policy applies to the OMS-I through OMS-IV students at the CHSU-COM for identifying their academic standing for determining their successful progression through the curricular timeline.
This policy will also allow for selecting students facing challenges in achieving the curricular goals with subsequent outcomes:
- Students below certain level of academic achievement will be recognized and discussed by the Student At Risk Committee (StARC);
- Failure to attain the milestones as per set criteria for academic progression will result in placement in various categories with different action plans including facing the Student Progress Committee (SPC);
- Restrictions of engaging in extracurricular activities may be placed as per pre-determined criteria;
- Consecutive failure in achieving the curricular milestones may result in temporary or permanent separation as per the policy guidelines.
Academic Standing and Academic Progress
Academic standing is defined as a student‘s status at any time within a semester or clerkship/rotation of the CHSU curriculum. To be in good academic standing, a student must have passing grades in all courses / clerkships, and COMLEX exams at any given point in time.
This academic standing will be used to determine students’ eligibility to participate in extra-curricular activities, which includes attendance at conferences and/or local, regional, or national meetings of organizations and non-curricular research.
A student must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to be considered eligible for the extracurricular activities.
Academic progress in OMS-I and OMS-II of the curriculum requires passing all courses in each semester, and satisfying any other requirements specified within the curriculum.
Academic progress for students in OMS-III and OMS-IV of the curriculum includes successful completion of all required clerkships, end of rotation exams, and satisfying any other requirements specified within the curriculum.
Standard of Academic Performance
Academic Monitoring
The academic monitoring and alert process is a system through which faculty, course directors, student affairs staff or academic affairs staff, identify students who are having, or are at risk of having, academic difficulty. It is the responsibility of the Office of Academic Affairs and Assessment or Dean’s Designee to continuously monitor the performance of students in order to identify those students who are struggling with their coursework. Those students who are well below the class average on any cumulative individual graded component in a course, or those that have a sudden or significant decline in their overall performance, will be referred for discussion at the Students at Risk Committee (StARC).
Academic Risk
When a student is identified as being at risk and subsequently referred to StARC, the StARC chair, or designee, will recommend that the student’s faculty advisor meet with the student to address any issues or concerns the student is having. Depending on the specific situation, the student will need an academic support plan that may include required elements, such as, attendance at review sessions, tutoring services, mandatory attendance at all course sessions, and/or utilization of any of the available services at CHSU, such as an educational skills specialist or behavioral health professional. The year specific achievement director will review the academic support plan developed.
Academic Warning
A student who fails any course/clerkship in a semester will be required to appear before the SPC and/or its subcommittee and will automatically be placed on Academic Warning.
Students placed on Academic Warning will continue to have their status monitored by a university faculty or staff member. Academic Warning status may be removed after a student successfully completes all remediation exams and completes at least another semester without additional course failures.
Students on Academic Warning are not eligible to hold a leadership position in a student organization, participate on a committee, participate in extra-curricular activities, or attend conferences and/or local, regional, or national meetings of organizations. Nor can they participate in non-curricular research.
Academic Warning is an internal designation and will not appear on the student’s transcript.
Academic Probation
A student who has failed a course/clerkship while on Academic Warning or failed two courses/clerkships (with pending remediation) within the same academic year, will be placed on Academic Probation by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
To be removed from Academic Probation the student must successfully pass all pending course remediation and complete at least one other semester without additional course failures.
Students placed on Academic Probation will continue to have their status monitored by a University faculty or staff member. In addition, students on Academic Probation must attend all classes/course assignments, unless an excused absence is approved.
Students placed on Academic Probation will lose eligibility to hold a leadership position in a student organization, participate as a committee member, participate in extra-curricular activities, attend conferences and/or local, regional, or national meetings of organizations, or participate in non-curricular research.
Students who fail any other course, section, clerkship, COMAT exam, remediation exam and/or national board examination while on Academic Probation will be required to appear before SPC, which may recommend suspension or dismissal.
The record of each student on Academic Probation is reviewed by SPC at the end of the defined term to evaluate the student's academic progress.
Academic probation status is not tied to a student’s SAP, as defined by Title IV. It is wholly separate and unrelated to SAP.
Academic Suspension
Potential reinstatement after Academic Suspension may be allowed only if the student achieves all criteria set for in the official Academic Suspension letter.
Students who are reinstated following Academic Suspension will be on Academic Probation during the entire year following reinstatement and subject to all restrictions that apply to Academic Probation status.
Reinstated students who fail any other course, section, clerkship, COMAT exam, remediation exam and/or national board examination, will be required to appear before the SPC, which may recommend dismissal.
Students approved for reinstatement after a period of Academic Suspension, or an approved voluntary leave of absence will also be required to repeat previously taken courses while repeating the whole year.
Students will be charged for tuition and responsible for incurred expenses for any such repeated year of enrollment.
Suspended students may not perform the following or related functions:
- Register for courses
- Attend classes
- Use campus facilities, including library, gym, study rooms, and computer labs (without permission from the Dean).
- Participate in student activities
- Be members of student organizations
- Participate in student employment
Suspended students are required to return their:
- CHSU identification ID badge
- Parking pass
- Name tags
- White coats
Academic Dismissal
Academic Dismissal is a forced, permanent separation from the university. Dismissed students are not eligible for re-enrollment.
Class Auditing Regulations
Auditing of courses at CHSU is not allowed. Auditing courses while not being enrolled is not to be used as a means to remediate a course.