All appeals are academic proceedings of the RVU PA Program. All appeals must be submitted in writing to the appropriate appeal officer and must be submitted within the designated period for the appeal. Students may be asked to appear before the Student Assessment and Promotions Committee (SAPC), the Provost, or the Program Director as part of the appeals review process. If this occurs, the student will be permitted to bring an advocate, but the advocate may not speak on behalf of the student. Actions by the Provost regarding readmission are not subject to reconsideration or appeal.
Appearing before the Provost, or Program Director
If the student is asked to appear as part of the appeals process, they may choose, but are not required, to submit a written statement before the meeting. At the meeting, the student will have the opportunity to make any relevant statements and provide their side of the story; the Provost or Program Director will have the opportunity to ask questions of the student and any other individuals who may appear before them to provide first-hand information regarding the matter.
A meeting before any one of these groups or individuals is not intended to be criminal in nature, and the proceedings and procedures are not intended to be those of a criminal court. The student does not have a right to be accompanied at the meetings leading up to or the hearing before the meeting(s) by an attorney.
The Program Director, or Provost, will consider all of the information before rendering a decision. The information reviewed includes, but is not limited to, the student’s anecdotal notes and files, as well as their admissions file and academic history while in the Program. The student shall be informed of any decision by the Program Director or Provost in writing. This decision and all official disciplinary correspondence shall become part of the student’s official record and could be reportable to licensing authorities to the extent relevant questions are raised.
The standard to be employed for all disciplinary cases is a preponderance of the evidence standard (more likely than not, greater than 50%). Clear and convincing evidence is not required. In arriving at any decision, attention is paid to the history of the student, their growth as members of an academic community and graduates and professionals within their chosen profession, and the expectations and responsibilities that accompany the privilege of becoming a practicing physician assistant. Consideration will be given to the educational record, current status, student record, and any prior disciplinary history and/or prior formal or informal warnings, counseling, incidents, and professionalism concerns raised, which may be factored into the recommendation and decision.