The purpose of the Student Progress Committee (SPC) is to ensure that every graduate of LMU-DCOM Anatomical Education Ph.D. Program has the required skills, knowledge, and judgment to assume teaching and leadership roles as a medical educator. The Committee will monitor student progress and ensure that all students meet the academic and professional requirements necessary for advancement in the curriculum and graduation. The committee is composed of LMU faculty members and the Dean of Students (non-voting, ex-officio member).
If a student is referred to the SPC for any reason, (Academic or Professionalism issues) the committee will review the students file and may recommend one of the following: (a) to allow the student to take a remediation exam, (b) to dismiss the student, (d) to otherwise alter the student’s course of study. The Committee’s recommendations are forwarded to the Dean of LMU-DCOM who then makes the final decision.
The Director of the Anatomical Education Ph.D. program will schedule SPC meeting dates as needed and inform students of the meeting via LMU email and provide an agenda to the committee members. Minutes will be kept by a recording secretary. All matters are submitted to a vote, with a simple majority ruling. The chair will be a non-voting member except in the instance of a tie. The Dean of Students is also a non-voting member.
Each student referred to the SPC will be required to meet with the committee in person. The goal of this meeting is to gain insight into why the student is having difficulty, so that the committee can work with the student to address the deficiencies. The only individuals allowed to attend an SPC meeting are the student, the student’s advisor (at the student’s request), the recording secretary and the committee members. The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Dean of LMU-DCOM within 5 working days.
The Dean’s Actions
The Dean of LMU-DCOM will review the SPC’s recommendation and affirm, amend, or reverse the recommendation within five working days. The student and the SPC Chair will be notified of the decision in writing.
Appeal Process
A student wishing to appeal a decision made by the LMU-DCOM SPCthe campus Dean’s decision must submit the LMU-DCOM Official Appeal Request form with appropriate evidence to the LMU DCOM Campus Dean’s designee within five (5) working days of receiving notification of that decision. Upon receipt, the LMU-DCOM Campus Dean’s designee will submit the form to the Appeals Board for review. The student's status will remain unchanged until the appeal process is finalized. Please be advised; appeals may only be made in reference to the SPC and/or the Campus Dean not following LMU-DCOM policies and procedures; no other grounds for appeal will be accepted.
A student considering appeal must submit their appeal using the LMU-DCOM Official Appeal Request Form. No other appeals will be considered. All appeals must be submitted to the Campus Dean’s designee within five working days of receiving notification of the decision using the official form.
Please note: A student may only file an appeal based on an alleged error in process or a gross misapplication of facts. A student may not appeal (and the Appeals Board will decline to consider) a disagreement with a grade in a course and/or rotation with a resultant outcome recommendation/decision by SPC or another advisory committee and/or Dean
Appeals Board
The Appeals Board is composed of an LMU-DCOM Associate/Assistant Dean, LMU-DCOM faculty member, and the LMU Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Appeals may only be made in reference to the SPC and/or the LMU-DCOM Campus Dean appropriately following LMU-DCOM policies and procedures; no other grounds for appeal will be accepted.
The Appeals Board will initially review the LMU-DCOM Official Appeal Request Form to determine if the appeal is appropriate.
If the appeal is deemed appropriate, the Appeals Board will review all written information pertaining to the case. The job of the Appeals Board is to determine if LMU-DCOM policies and procedures relating to the case were followed and that no gross misapplication of fact(s) occurred. They may, or may not, meet with the student but not with witnesses or other complainants. The decision of the Appeals Board will be forwarded in writing by the chair to the LMU-DCOM Campus Dean, who will forward it to the student by certified mail to his or her last official address or hand-delivered with receipt. All decisions of the Appeals Board will be final and binding. No further option for appeal will be considered.