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Dismissal Policy

Table of Contents

• Dismissal From An Undergraduate Program
• Appeal of Dismissal From an Undergraduate Program
• Procedures for the Appeal of Dismissal
• Protocol for Appealing Dismissal from an Undergraduate Program

Dismissal From An Undergraduate Program (For Academic and/or Nonacademic Reasons)

Students receiving letters of dismissal from a program will automatically be dropped from all courses exclusive to that program regardless of whether they choose to appeal and will receive a full refund of fees. A “W” grade will then be entered on the transcript for all program exclusive courses not completed. Students receiving dismissal letters after the 10th day of classes may petition the dean of the college for permission to complete the program exclusive courses in which they are enrolled. Students who appeal the dismissal will be blocked from registration for further program exclusive courses during the appeals process itself. Appeal procedures are outlined in the subsection entitled “Procedures for the Appeal of Dismissal.”

A student may be dismissed from an undergraduate program by a department/college according to the “Dismissal Policy” described in the “Appeal of Dismissal from an Undergraduate Program” section below.

Appeal of Dismissal From an Undergraduate Program

A student may be dismissed from an undergraduate program by a department/college according to the following criteria:

1. If the student fails to meet the academic and/or nonacademic continuation standards of the department including unprofessional/unethical behaviors and unsafe practices, or
2. If it is the academic judgment of two-thirds (2/3) of the faculty in the department that the student is not making satisfactory progress in the program, and such judgment is recorded by formal vote.
   In all cases the student must be notified in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, that he or she is dismissed and must be told in the document that he or she has the right of appeal according to the Idaho State University Undergraduate Catalog. The student should be given a copy of the Undergraduate Catalog or notified that the Catalog is available online and in the Admissions/ Registration and Records Office. The initiation of the appeal must occur within fifteen (15) working days of the notification of the dismissal.*

Procedures for the Appeal of Dismissal

Step 1: Departmental Level

1. The student must request reconsideration in writing using the Protocol for Appealing Dismissal from an Undergraduate Program which is described below.
2. A majority of the faculty of the department must meet within fifteen (15) days of the filed appeal and must decide by two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present to sustain the dismissal, or the dismissal is revoked. If necessary, the meeting of the faculty may include those participating by telephone. Should it prove impossible during the summer to convene a majority of the faculty, the department is required to assemble them in the first week they are on contract in the Fall semester. In such instance, if the student chooses to appeal the department’s decision, the dean of the college and the Scholastic Appeals Board (Board) will attempt to expedite the procedure described below.
3. Either decision (revoke or sustain) is to be explained in writing to the student. Copies of this decision and explanation should be sent to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
4. If the department upholds the dismissal, the student may appeal the decision to the dean of the college. The student must appeal to the dean of the college within fifteen (15) working days of the notification of the department’s decision.
5. If the dismissal is revoked, the department chairperson shall notify in writing the student and the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the student shall be reinstated.

Step 2: Dean of the College

1. If the student appeals to the dean of the college, then the dean must do the following:
   1. Read the student’s written statement.
   2. Read the written decision and explanation of the faculty.
   3. The dean may interview the student or the faculty in the department or conduct any other appropriate investigation that may aid in the decision-making process.
   4. The dean must consider the appeal within fifteen (15) working days of the student’s filed appeal and must decide to either revoke or sustain the dismissal.
2. Dean Overrule. If the dismissal is revoked, the dean must state in writing the reasons for the over-rule and notify the student, the department, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the student shall be reinstated. The faculty of the department may appeal the dean’s decision to the Scholastic Appeals Board.
3. Dean Sustains Dismissal. If the dean sustains the decision to dismiss, he or she must notify in writing the student, the department, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Step 3: The Scholastic Appeals Board via the Vice President of Academic Affairs

1. The student may appeal to the Scholastic Appeals Board if the dean of the college sustains the dismissal. The student must appeal to the Scholastic Appeals Board within fifteen (15) working days of the notification of the dean’s decision. This appeal must be in writing.
2. The Scholastic Appeals Board must consider the appeal within fifteen (15) working days of the student’s notification of appeal. The appeal review should include copies of documents prepared in Step 1 and Step 2 of the appeals process.
3. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and/or the Scholastic Appeals Board may interview the student, faculty, or college dean to secure whatever information might be deemed necessary to aid in the review process.
4. The Board’s decision to revoke or sustain the dismissal is final.
5. The Board’s decision is to be prepared in writing and with all other documentation kept in the student’s file.
6. The Vice President of Academic Affairs must notify in writing the student, the department, and college dean of the decision.
7. If the decision is to revoke the dismissal, the Vice President of Academic Affairs must reinstate the student in the program.*

*The procedures outlined herein for a student’s Dismissal from an Undergraduate Program and Appeal of Dismissal do not apply to nor supersede the policies and procedures for scholastic probation, scholastic dismissal, and violations of student conduct codes outlined in the ISU Student Handbook and Undergraduate Catalog.

Protocol for Appealing Dismissal from an Undergraduate Program

Protocol for appeal of dismissal from an undergraduate program must include the student’s name, department/college, and date of the appeal. Also included must be the rationale for appeal of the dismissal. The student should state as succinctly as possible the reasons for making the appeal.