University Policies

Candidates are subject to all ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ policies, including those relating to Academic Dishonesty. See the section on Academic Dishonesty herein. For information about specific policies, check the

Declassification

The University Catalog outlines the policy on declassification: A student may be declassified (dropped) from a graduate degree or credential program for a range of reasons, including, but not restricted to, unprofessional conduct; behavioral issues that interfere with the learning of others; failure to make progress toward the degree or program as set forth by the University and program policies; failure to meet grade requirements to maintain good standing in the program and/or University; and/or the department/program faculty determine that the student is incapable of completing degree requirements at the level expected of a graduate student in the discipline even if the GPA is above a 3.0.

The declassification request must be initiated by the major department with support from the department/program chair and college dean or designee. Requests are submitted to the Office of Academic Programs and Graduate Studies for final action and official notification to the student and the Registrar’s Office. The Office of Academic Programs and Graduate Studies will also determine if the student should also be academically or administratively disqualified from the University. If the student is not disqualified from the University and wishes to continue in the University, a declassified student must formally apply to another graduate program or apply as a second baccalaureate student. (Second baccalaureate status is closed for budget reasons until further notice.) Declassified students will not be permitted to enroll through regular University or Open University in any undergraduate or graduate courses in the program or degree from which they were declassified. Unless the declassification was related to conduct issues that interfere with campus interactions, declassified students are eligible to apply to a new program and be accepted as a student by the department/program. The student must be accepted to a new program no later than three quarters after being declassified; otherwise, the student must reapply to the University.

A credential candidate or graduate student may be declassified for a range of reasons, including, but not restricted to the following.

  1. A candidate fails to maintain a 3.0 GPA in program courses. The university may dismiss a candidate who is on academic probation.
  2. If a candidate fails to achieve a specified level of performance in required field experience they may be declassified. See Procedures for unsatisfactory field experience.
  3. If a candidate lacks subject matter competency they may be declassified.
  4. If the school or school district requests that a candidate be removed from their placement they may be declassified. A school or district is not obligated to provide rationales for removal.
  5. If a candidate fails to demonstrate professional conduct toward any participant in the program, including university administrators, university faculty, university staff, university students, TK-12 administrators, TK-12 faculty, TK-12 staff, and TK-12 students they may be declassified.

If a candidate fails to adhere to published university policies.

Procedure:

The credential coordinator shall notify, in writing, a candidate subject to declassification. The notification memorandum shall do the following:

  1. Cite the appropriate section of this policy,
  2. Detail the specific behaviors that led to the declassification, and
  3. Notify the candidate that they may appeal to the department chair within 10 calendar days.

Candidates may appeal declassification to the department chair, who upholds the decision or reinstates the candidate with or without conditions stated in writing. The department chair also informs the candidate that the decision can be appealed to the associate dean of the College within 10 days. If the associate dean upholds the declassification, he/she requests in writing that the Office of Academic Programs and Graduate Studies (APGS) take final action and notify the candidate and the Registrar’s Office.

A candidate who has been declassified is not eligible to reapply to the declassifying program but may apply to other programs at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.

Declassified candidates will receive official notification of declassification from ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ’s Academic Programs and Graduate Studies. Dismissed candidates must withdraw from the university and must immediately notify the Financial Aid Office and return all funds disbursed directly to you and/or credited to your candidate account. See Drop & Withdrawal Policy for more information.

Academic Dishonesty

The Teacher Education Department adheres to all university rules regarding academic dishonesty, and feels a particular responsibility to require the utmost professional accountability and academic honesty from candidates in our teaching programs. Whenever dishonesty occurs, your instructor will take appropriate action and file an "Academic Dishonesty Incident Report" detailing the infraction and the action taken. The report will be filed in the Academic Affairs Office, and you will receive a copy. The report will remain on file for five years or until you graduate, whichever comes first. If the office receives two or more reports on an individual, the Candidate Disciplinary Officer is notified.

Depending on the circumstances, you may: (a) be warned; (b) be required to resubmit work or retake an exam under specified conditions and with a possible grade penalty; (c) have your grade adjusted for the assignment; or (d) have your grade adjusted in the course, including assignment of an "F" at the discretion of the faculty. If the course grade is adjusted, it is not subject to Grade Forgiveness.

You may appeal an instructor's action to the Fairness Committee. Your appeal of an instructor's academic sanction is governed by the "Fairness Document."

Depending upon the severity of the offense or the number of offenses, the instructor may directly refer the instance of academic dishonesty to the Candidate Disciplinary Officer to determine if further action is necessary. (In any instance of academic dishonesty, however, whereby an academic sanction is imposed, the instructor will file an "Academic Dishonesty Incident Report." See three paragraphs above.) At the discretion of the Candidate Disciplinary Officer, administrative sanctions such as warning, probation, suspension, or expulsion may be imposed. As prescribed in Executive Order 970, Article V. Sanctions, paragraph 5 entitled Record Discipline, "Probation is entered on a candidate's transcript, with its beginning and end date, for the period of time that the probation is in effect. Suspension is entered on the candidate's transcript, with the beginning and end date, for the period of time that the suspension is in effect, but remains on the transcript permanently if the suspension is for longer than one academic year." Expulsion is entered on the candidate's transcript permanently along with the date it takes effect. (If an appeal to the Fairness Committee regarding an academic sanction imposed by the instructor is pending, action by the Candidate Disciplinary Officer will be postponed until after the adjudication of the appeal.)

Standards of Student Conduct