Student Performance Committee (SPC)
General Overview
The Students Performance Committee (SPC) is an official faculty committee with representation from both campuses appointed by the Dean of the Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM) charged with maintaining the academic and professionalism standards of RVUCOM throughout the preclinical and clinical years.
Students may be referred to the SPC on the basis of academic performance and alleged violations of the RVUCOM Code of Conduct, Honor Code, RVU Policy, and failure to adhere to RVUCOM academic integrity, and professionalism expectations.
Separate review processes exist for referral and review by the SPC for Academic performance and issues related to professionalism, behaviors, and academic integrity.
Academic Performance & Review by SPC
The RVUCOM program is comprised of two years of preclinical education and two years of clinical education; each year of education is broken up into two terms. Every course in the preclinical curriculum is offered once each academic year. Pursuant to the rules set forth below, while a student may be allowed to progress terms within an academic year, no student may progress to the next academic year unless they have successfully met all of the requirements and have passed all courses required for promotion to the next academic year. A student can only repeat an academic year once during the entirety of the RVUCOM program. A student cannot repeat the same year more than once, nor may a student repeat a different academic year if they have previously repeated any academic year. No student can remediate more than 2 course failures in any given academic year. Only one remediation is allowed for any particular course and a student cannot re-remediate any course.
I. Preclinical Students
(A) General Policy
(1) A student that has never repeated an academic year in the program:
(a) Who does not fail more than two courses in an academic year will be offered an opportunity to remediate up to two course failures in an academic year without being required to repeat the entire academic year. Only one remediation is allowed for any particular course and a student cannot re-remediate any course. Students must work with their campus Director of Preclinical Education (DPCE) to develop a remediation plan and are required to comply with and fully implement such plan. This must be done for the first course failure as well as the second course failure received. Meeting with the DPCE is a pre-requisite for the remediation of any course and failure. Failure to meet with the DPCE will prevent the student from remediating the course at issue and the student will not be allowed to sit for the applicable remediation exam and the failing grade will be final. All remediations must be successfully completed no later than July 1 of that academic year to progress into the next contiguous academic year. The failure will remain on the transcript until such time as the relevant course is successfully remediated, at which time the “F” will change to a “Px” notation on the transcript. In the event a required remediation is not successfully completed (either not taken or not passed) by July 1 of the academic year at issue, the original failing grade will remain on the transcript. The student will not be able to progress, and the student will be required to repeat the academic year.
(b) Who receives three or more course failures in the same academic year (including a failure on any remediation/remediation exam) OR who fails a course remediation during an academic year is required to repeat the entire academic year, beginning with the first term. Under such circumstances, where appropriate, the student will be placed on a leave of absence until the commencement of the first term of the academic year to be repeated. This will impact the student’s timeline and could impact their ability to complete the COM curriculum and all requirements within six (6) years of matriculation. Students are required to work with the office of Student Financial Services to discuss and understand any impact this may have on their financial aid.
(2) A student that has previously repeated any academic year or is currently in a repeat year:
(a) Who subsequently fails a course must meet with their campus DPCE to develop a remediation plan and is required to comply with and fully implement such plan. This must be done for the first course failure as well as the second course failure received. Meeting with the DPCE is a pre-requisite for the remediation of any course and failure. Failure to meet with the DPCE will prevent the student from remediating the course at issue and the student will not be allowed to sit for the applicable remediation exam and the failing grade will be final.
(b) Who (a) receives a third course failure (more than two course failures) including remediations/remediation exams in an academic year or (b) fails any course remediation will be dismissed.
(B) Student Performance Committee (SPC) Review & Referral
(1) No Repeat: A preclinical student who has never repeated an academic year - The SPC will review records, documentation, and other information to confirm the student has either received three course failures (this includes failing any remediations) or failed any course remediation during an academic year. If there are any questions regarding the accuracy of the information, the SPC may, in its discretion, speak with the student, faculty, and/or administration. The student will receive notice of the referral and advance notice of the date and time of the SPC meeting. If the student believes there may be an inaccuracy, the referral was in error, or there is information that would undermine the basis for the referral, the student should submit a written statement for the SPC’s consideration, together with any corroborating information and evidence. Any such written statement must be submitted within three (3) business days of the notice of the referral to the Chair and Vice Chair of the SPC. After review, if the SPC finds that the student has failed three courses in the academic year or failed any course remediation during an academic year, the SPC will issue a decision confirming this finding and notifying the student that the full academic year must be repeated. If there is still time remaining in the current academic year/curriculum, the SPC will place the student on a leave of absence and the student will return to repeat the entire academic year, beginning with the first term of the year to be repeated.
(2) Repeat: A preclinical student who is currently repeating or has previously repeated an academic year - The SPC will review records, documentation, and other information to confirm the student has either received three course failures (this includes failing any remediations) or failed any course remediation. If there are any questions regarding the accuracy of the information, the SPC may, in its discretion, speak with the student, faculty, and/or administration. The student will receive notice of the referral and advance notice of the date and time of the SPC meeting. After review, if the SPC finds that the student has failed three courses in the academic year or receives a failure in a course remediation, the SPC will issue a decision confirming this finding and notifying the student that the student is dismissed.
II. Clinical Students
(A) General Policy
(1) A clinical student who has never repeated or extended an academic year:
(a) Who fails one clinical clerkship (course) in an academic year will be offered the opportunity to remediate the failed clinical clerkship (course) without being subject to any additional extensions or repetitions. The student is required to meet with the Course Director and Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education, or their designee, to develop an academic remediation plan. The student is required to comply with and fully implement such plan. This meeting and the development of a remediation plan is a pre-requisite for the remediation of any course and clinical clerkship failure. Failure to meet with the Course Director and Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education, or their designee, and develop a plan will prevent the student from remediating the clinical clerkship at issue and the failing grade will be final.
(2) Who does not fail more than two clinical clerkships (courses) in an academic year will be offered an opportunity to remediate up to two clinical clerkship (course) failures in an academic year without being subject to any additional extensions or repetitions. The student is required to meet with the Course Director and Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education, or their designee, to develop an academic remediation plan. The student is required to comply with and fully implement such plan. This must be done for the first clinical clerkship failure as well as the second clinical clerkship failure received. This meeting and the development of a remediation plan is a pre-requisite for the remediation of any course and clinical clerkship failure. Failure to meet with the Course Director and Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education, or their designee, and develop a plan will prevent the student from remediating the clinical clerkship at issue and the failing grade will be final.
(a) be referred to the SPC and subject to dismissal.
The SPC will review records, documentation, and other information to confirm the student has either received three course failures (this includes failing any remediations) or failed any course remediation during an academic year. If there are any questions regarding the accuracy of the information, the SPC may, in its discretion, speak with the student, faculty, and/or administration. The student will receive notice of the referral and advance notice of the date and time of the SPC meeting. If the student believes there may be an inaccuracy, the referral was in error, or there is information that would undermine the basis for the referral, the student should submit a written statement for the SPC’s consideration, together with any corroborating information and evidence. Any such written statement must be submitted within three (3) business days of the notice of the referral to the Chair and Vice Chair of the SPC. After review, if the SPC finds that the student has failed three courses in the academic year or failed any course remediation during an academic year, the SPC will issue a decision confirming this finding and notifying the student that they are dismissed.
(b) be required to extend the academic year until all requirements pursuant to the remediation plan are met and the clinical clerkship at issue is successfully remediated and such student will be prohibited from progressing in the clinical curriculum until such time (also referred to as an extended academic year). All curricular and other requirements must be met prior to progressing to the following academic year/graduation. In no event, however, shall any such extension to accomplish all graduation requirements go beyond six (6) years from the date of the student’s matriculation. Students are required to work with the office of Student Financial Services to discuss and understand any impact their remediation plan may have on their financial aid.
(4) A clinical student who is (a) an extended academic year and/or (b) who has previously repeated an academic year who fails any clinical clerkship (course) remediation, or who fails three or more clinical clerkship (courses) in one academic year will be referred to the SPC and subject to dismissal. Only one remediation is allowed for any particular clinical clerkship (course) and a student cannot re-remediate any clinical clerkship (course). All students must complete the COM curriculum and all requirements within six (6) years of matriculation.
All students must take and pass required board exams within the allotted time to graduate. Any student that has taken any single required NBOME board exam three (3) times without achieving a passing score prior to the allotted time to graduate (the 6-year period) will be dismissed.
SPC Decisions and Appeal – Process
SPC Academic Review Meeting
The SPC will convene within ten (10) business days of notification of student referral to SPC to review and verify all academic and relevant information related to the referral.
SPC Academic Decisions
The student, Dean of RVUCOM, and decanal officers of the Department of Student Affairs, shall be notified of the SPC’s decision by the SPC Chair (or designee) within ten (10) business days of the date of the student’s referral. The decision will be in writing.
SPC Academic Appeal Process
Following notification of an SPC decision, a student may request a formal academic appeal to the Dean of RVUCOM. The student has five (5) business days to submit a written narrative explaining the basis for the appeal, which must be accompanied by any and all supporting documentation to be considered. The narrative must clearly set forth the basis for their appeal, and may only be brought on the following grounds:
- An error of fact;
- Evidence of bias;
- The sanction imposed is extraordinarily disproportionate to the situation;
- Errors of process under the Student Handbook involving your rights that materially affected the outcome of this matter;
- New information and supporting documentation relevant to the situation demonstrating extreme circumstances undermining the decision and a demonstrable history of academic success in the program.
The Dean of RVUCOM, in their sole and absolute discretion, may deny or grant an appeal in whole or in part and/or modify the decision.
While the appeal is pending, the status of the student will not be altered. Throughout the appeal process, students must continue to be enrolled, attend all classes or clinical clerkships (course), and sit for scheduled exams until the appeal decision has been made. The Dean of RVUCOM will notify the student of the appeal decision within ten (10) business days. The decision of the Dean of RVUCOM shall be final and binding and not subject to further appeal.
Disciplinary hearings conducted in response to an alleged violation of the Code of Conduct, professionalism expectations, Academic Integrity Policies, and any sanctions applied in these situations, are covered in the relevant sections of the RVUCOM Student Handbook.
SPC Recommendations
May include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Probation, with or without conditions, which may include, but are in no way limited to:
- Professionalism training and education;
- Counseling, status meetings, and monitoring;
- Suspension;
- Dismissal;
- Such other penalty or action that they deem appropriate.
Academic dismissal
SPC decisions for dismissal will be based on the following reasons:
- A student who has failed three (3) or more than courses while in a repeat year;
- A student who has failed a preclinical or clinical course remediation while in a repeat year or if they have previously repeated a year;
- A student who fails to comply with the agreed upon terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Dean;
- A student who has taken an NBOME Board exam three (3) without achieving a passing score prior to the allotted time to graduate;
- A student who is unable to complete the COM curriculum within six (6) years.
Students who are dismissed from RVUCOM are prohibited from reapplying to RVU programs.