Student Academic Grievance and Grade Appeals

An academic grievance is a complaint regarding an academic decision or action that affects the student’s academic record. Academic grievances in UTRGV SOM may be handled by informal resolution or formal resolution.

Procedure for Informal Resolution in the Pre-Clerkship Curriculum

A student who feels that he/she has an academic grievance in the pre-clerkship curriculum, usually regarding an examination score or module grade, may attempt to informally resolve the concern by contacting the Module Directors or the Assistant Dean for Pre-Clerkship in writing within five (5) business days from the date the student knew or should have known of the academic concern. Within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of the student’s written communication, the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs or designee will investigate the concern and provide the student with a written decision.

Procedure for Informal Resolution in the Clerkship Curriculum

A student who feels that he/she has an academic grievance in the clinical curriculum, usually related to narrative evaluation comments, overall evaluation, an examination score or a course grade, may attempt to informally resolve the concern by contacting the Clerkship Director or Assistant Dean for Clerkship in writing within five (5) business days from the date the student knew or should have known of the academic concern. Within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of the student’s written communication, the Clerkship Director or Assistant Dean for Clerkship will investigate the concern, employing departmental education processes such as committee review as per departmental practice, and provide the student a written decision.

Procedure for Formal Resolution (“Appeal”) in the Pre-Clerkship and Clerkship Curriculum

The process and procedures for formal academic grievance ("appeal") resolution are sequenced below. Academic grievance applies to concerns adversely influencing the student's academic status. Examples include, but are not limited to, examination score, module, course or clerkship grades, remediation, repetition, suspension, probation, professionalism sanctions, and dismissal.
A student must file written notice of grievance with the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs or designee, and the Chair of the Medical Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee (MSEPC) within five (5) business days from the date the student knew or should have known of the concern unless the student first pursues an informal grievance process. In that instance, the student must then file the formal grievance within five (5) business days of the written decision for the informal grievance. If the student chooses not to attempt informal resolution of a grievance, he/she must file a formal written appeal not more than five (5) business days from the date the student knew or should have known of the academic concern.
The aggrieved student must meet with the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs or designee to ensure factual accuracy of the basis for appeal, review the processes and procedures, and anticipate preparation of documentation for the MSEPC meeting. In the written appeal, the student must describe the rationale for the grievance in detail and propose a resolution. An ad hoc group of the MSEPC, including the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs or designee, the Chair of the MSEPC and one member of the MSEPC, will investigate the grievance, meeting with the student as necessary to ensure a comprehensive review. The Chair of the MSEPC will present the student's written statement and any supporting documentation, as well as the ad hoc investigatory summary to the MSEPC at the next scheduled MSEPC meeting. The MSEPC may defer a decision if more information/documentation is required to make a responsible decision and may request a face-to-face meeting with the student prior to rendering a decision. The MSEPC will provide the student a written decision within five (5) business days after the meeting. The decision of the MSEPC is final, pending appeal to the Dean of the SOM (herein referred to as the Dean). The student continues in the curriculum until the appeal process is exhausted unless the student's continuance poses a safety concern.
The student may file a written secondary appeal to the Dean within five (5) business days from receipt of the MSEPC written decision. The student must also inform the Associate Dean for Student Affairs of the intent to appeal, also within the same the five (5) business days. The student's appeal portfolio must include a justification statement for secondary appeal and all documentation provided to the MSEPC. Upon review of the student's record and appeal portfolio, the Dean may elect to:
1. Take no action, allowing the MSEPC decision to stand;
2. Modify the MSEPC decision;
3. Make an alternate decision;
Impanel an ad hoc committee to re-examine the decision and make recommendations.
Within fifteen (15) business days from receipt of the student’s appeal, the Dean will provide a written decision to the student and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The decision of the Dean is final appellate review.

Ref. Pol. # EAA021

Disciplinary Action

Any academic disciplinary action/sanction(s) recommended by the MSEPC shall be in accordance with applicable SOM and UTRGV policies. The following sanctions may be assessed by the MSEPC or the Dean of the SOM (herein referred to as the Dean):

Warning
Probation
Withholding of grades, official transcript, and/or degree
Bar against readmission
Suspension of rights and privileges deriving in whole or in part for the SOM, including participation in extracurricular activities
Suspension of eligibility for any student office or honor
Cancellation of credit for scholastic work done
Failing grade or reduction of a grade for an examination, assignment, or course
Suspension from the UTRGV SOM for a specified period of time
Dismissal
Denial of degree
Revocation of degree and withdrawal of diploma
Formal letter of reprimand in the academic file
Other sanction(s) as deemed appropriate under the circumstances

If a voting member of the MSEPC has already taken an action (e.g., awarded a failing grade in a course/clerkship or been an faculty academic mentor) that contributes to the adverse action being proposed against the student, they must disclose this to the committee chair and recuse themselves from discussions and voting.

The decision of the MSEPC may be appealed to the Dean whose decision is final. The sanctioned student may file a written appeal to the Dean within five (5) business days from receipt of the MSEPC written decision. The student must also inform the Associate Dean for Student Affairs of the Intent to appeal, also within the same five (5) business days. The student's appeal portfolio must include a justification statement for appeal and all documentation provided to the MSEPC. Upon review of the student's record and appeal portfolio, the Dean may elect to:

a. Take no action, allowing the MSEPC decision to stand;

b. Modify the MSEPC decision;

c. Make an alternate decision;

d. Impanel an ad-hoc committee to re-examine the decision and make recommendations.

Within fifteen (15) business days from receipt of the student’s appeal, the Dean will provide a written decision to the student, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs and the Chair of the MSEPC. The decision of the Dean is final appellate review.

Ref. Pol. # EAA024

Certification of Degree Completion

The Doctor of Medicine Degree is awarded by the Board of Regents upon a student’s successful completion of the graduation requirements. Degrees will be conferred once a year on Commencement Day in the spring. Students who fail to meet graduation requirements by the published degree conferral date/Commencement Day may petition the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education & Academic Affairs to consider an alternate degree conferral date under extenuating circumstances when the graduating student is expected to begin an internship or residency in July.