Academic Probation and Program Dismissal

The Program Director may dismiss or place a student on academic probation if he/she violates any of the academic and professional requirements. The condition of probation for each requirement shall be:

If a student earns a grade of lower than "C" in any Social Work course, he/she may be dismissed from the program. If reinstated, the student will be placed on probation and must repeat that course in a timely fashion in order to progress in the program. A failing grade due to academic dishonesty is a distinct case and subject to automatic dismissal from the program.
If a student's GPA falls below the required 3.0, he/she will be placed on probation and have 12 additional credit hours of coursework to raise it to 3.0. The student must, thereafter, maintain a 3.0 GPA or be subject to automatic dismissal.
If a student receives a grade entry of Incomplete in any one semester, the advisor and Program Director will monitor the timely completion of the course. If the same student receives grades of Incomplete in subsequent semesters, the Program Director will place the student on academic probation and advise the student that he/she cannot progress in the program until all Incompletes are satisfied.
There is no probationary period or condition for a student who earns a failing grade in any practicum. Students failing practicum will be dismissed from the program. If a student feels in jeopardy of not passing a practicum, he/she should seek guidance from his/her faculty field liasion and advisor to remedy the situation.

Academic and Professional Performance Reviews

A request for a student performance review can be initiated at any time by a faculty member, advisor, field coordinator, field instructor or liason, or by the Program Director or the student him/herself. The request should be make to the Program Director on the student's campus. The performance review is conceptualized as a mechanism to address, as early as possible, any developing problems with a student's academic and/or professional performance.

Upon receiving the request, the Program Director will form a committee comprised of the individuals making the request, the student, and the student's advisor, at a minimum, and an additional faculty member if appropriate. The Program Director may decide to chair the committee. If deemed appropriate by the Program Director, the student may invite up to two (2) guests to attend, but only those with direct information about the issue may speak. The committee determines what, if any, course of action could bring the student's performance into compliance with School and professional standards. In situations where such action is feasible and desirable, a contract will be created. The contract will set forth problems to be solved, actions to be taken to solve said problems, and a time period for completion of designated actions and re-evaluation of student performance. Consequences for non-performance will also be included in the contract. The advisor will then work with the student and other relevant parties.

If the student fails to fulfill the contract, or, if while working on the contract some serious impropriety or failing academic performance occurs, the Program Director may decide that the student cannot continue in the MSW program. Discontinuance can occur during any semester of enrollment, including the last semester. The Program Director will send an email and a letter by certified mail to the student indicating that he/she has been discontinued from the program for noncompliance with the contract and explaining the due process procedures. Copies of the letter will be forwarded to the student's advisor and placed in the student's file. Such notice will occur in sufficient time for the student to withdraw from classes in the subsequent semester.

In the case of academic probation, the Program Director is not required to convene a performance review committee for each student, but may review the progress of all probationary students with their advisors to decide if conditions are met. The Program Director will then inform students in writing of release from probation or of dismissal. The student must immediately meet with his/her advisor should he/she wish to discuss options for reinstatement.

Reinstatement Procedures

Within 15 working days following receipt of a letter of dismissal, the student who wishes reinstatement must petition to the Program Director. The petition should be presented in writing and should address two major points:

The student should identify extenuating factors, if any, that contributed to the reasons for dismissal
The student should discuss the steps that he/she would take to alleviate the impact of those factors and to improve performance if permitted to continue in the program

Upon receiving the student's petition, the Program Director will review the case, including consultation with appropriate faculty, such as the student's advisor, and make a decision about whether the process for reinstatement will go forward. The Program Director controls the process and outcomes for all petitions for reinstatement. He/she may decide to readmit or utilize a performance review committee to assist in the decision if one had not been previously formed to address the student issue. If the Program Director accepts the petition, he/she will advise the student and advisor of the decision via email and certified mail. The letter will include a statement that the student must comply with all academic and professional requirements as a condition of reinstatement and that no further opportunities for reinstatement will be considered. If the Program Director denies the petition, he/she will also advise the student of his/her right to petition for reconsideration by the Dean's Office.

Appeals Procedures at the Dean's Office Level

Within 15 days of receiving the Program Director's decision to deny a petition for reinstatement, the student may send an appeal to the Dean's Office. The appeal is review by the Dean or Associate Dean (as his designee). This Office is the final option for appeal within the Indiana University School of Social Work.

In conducting a review of the case, the Dean or Associate Dean (as the designee) may decide to convene an Appeal Committee if more information is needed. This step is entirely at the discretion of the Dean or Associate Dean. The Appeal Committee will consist of at least three full-time faculty members who are not primary actors in the reason for the student's dismissal.

If an Appeal Committee is convened, the Chair of the Committee will inform all parties involved. The student will receive at least two (2) week's notice by email and certified mail of its meeting date. The student will have the right to:

Present information on his/her behalf
Have up to two (2) additional guests present. The student should inform the Chair of the Committee in advance regarding the names of guests and the nature of information they bring. The Chair reserves the right to structure the hearing and the length of time each party can speak. Generally, only those guests with information relevant to the issue that led to the dismissal are invited to speak. The student and his/her guests may be present only for the information-giving portion of the meeting and must leave prior to deliberation by the Committee.

The student's advisor will meet with him/her prior to the hearing and, in the hearing, present comprehensive information concerning the student's overall academic/professional performance. To prepare this background statement, the advisor shall secure performance information from classroom and field faculty who have taught the student. The advisor may ask questions at any time during the hearing, including during the Committee's deliberations. The advisor may also recommend actions to resolve the performance problem. However, the advisor shall not have a vote in the proceedings.

The recommended actions of the Appeal Committee shall be forwarded in writing to the Dean's Office of the School of Social Work. Copies will then be sent to the student, his/her advisor, and placed in the student's file. The action by the Dean or Associate Dean (as his designee) is final.

Grade Appeals

If a student believes that a course grade was improper and capricious, he/she must use the following steps to seek resolution of the matter.

The student must meet with the instructor of the course in an attempt to resolve the matter.
If the matter is not resolved between the faculty member and the student, the student should send a written statement to the Program Director on his/her campus. This written statement should include the reason(s) the student thinks the grade assigned was improper or capricious and should present evidence to support this assertion. The Program Director will then consult the instructor to attempt a resolution. The Program Director may wish to meet with the student and faculty member separately or jointly. The Program Director will provide the student and the instructor with the outcome of this discussion in writing. If the Program Director is the instructor of the course in question, the student should proceed to discuss the grade issue with another Program Director or with the Associate Dean.
If such a consultation does not result in a mutually agreeable solution, the student may submit a formal appeal to the Office of the Dean. The Associate Dean typically handles all student issues on behalf of the Office of the Dean. However, if the Associate Dean has already been involved in the grade issue because the instructor is a Program Director, the appeal will be handled by the Dean.
If the appeal is denied through the Office of the Dean, the student may consult the University grade appeal policies and procedures for further action.

Grades of Incomplete

A grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned by an instructor only when exceptional circumstances, such as an illness, injury, or a family emergency, prevent a student from finishing all the work required for the course. The grade of Incomplete may be considered only when a substantial portion of the coursework has already been completed, the coursework is of satisfactory quality, and no more than one major exam or assignment is outstanding. The student who does not meet these requirements should meet with his/her advisor to withdraw from the course(s) in question. The student should refer to the Registrar's Office (Links to an external site) on his/her campus regarding the policies and deadline for automatic withdrawal for the semester in question.

The student is responsible for initiating the request for a grade of Incomplete. If the instructor agrees, the instructor and student complete and sign a Record of Incomplete and Contract for Completion of Course Requirements form to ensure that a sound educational plan and time frame for completion of course requirements have been established. Failure to fulfill the terms of this contract within the stipulated time frame may result in a failing grade. For removal of a grade of Incomplete, the student is subject to the IUSSW policy, which has precedence over the University policy. The student in the School of Social Work is expected to complete outstanding coursework expeditiously, since many courses serve as prerequisites for others. Additionally, the following apply:

Students must satisfactorily complete all foundation courses or have an approved contract for removing grades of Incomplete before taking any intermediate courses.
Students must satisfactorily complete all intermediate courses before entering the concentration year.
Generally, students may carry no more than one grade of Incomplete at any given time. However, in cases of severe crisis, a student may work with his/her advisor to request grades of Incomplete in multiple courses.

Filing a Grievance

If a student believes that he/she has been treated unfairly or unprofessionally by a faculty or staff member, or that a policy or procedure is unjust or unwise, then the student may submit, in writing, a formal grievance petition to the Dean of the School. Grievance petitions are reserved for those issues or incidences that warrant formal and thorough investigation. Such petitions should be submitted in a professional manner that is consistent with social work values and ethics.

Student complaints regarding discrimination, sexual harassment, racial harassment, and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation have established complaint procedures, which are available in the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Links to an external site.).