At the end of every grading period, once final course grades have been assigned, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs schedules a meeting date informs students of the meeting via LMU email, provides an agenda to the members, and convenes the meeting. The meeting will be held as soon as possible following the submission of the final course grades. Minutes will be kept by a recording secretary. All matters are submitted to a vote, with a simple majority ruling.
The committee will meet with each student who has an academic deficiency. The committee’s responsibility is to meet with the student and to discuss the grades that have been assigned by the course directors. It is not within the Committee’s purview to delve into issues relating to how individual grades were assigned. All matters pertaining to how a grade was assigned must be resolved before the Student Progress Committee meeting with the student. In the interest of due process, if a student is in the midst of filing a grade appeal or intends to file a grade appeal, the meeting will be put on hold until the issue pertaining to the grade is resolved. If the student intends on filing a grade appeal it is the student’s responsibility to make the Student Progress Committee aware of their intent so that the meeting can be put on hold.
Students are encouraged to meet with the Student Progress Committee in person. If the student wishes to hold the meeting via conference call, then that is the student’s choice. The only individuals allowed to attend the Student Progress Committee meeting include 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-CDM within 5 working days. The student’s academic record can be examined at a Student Progress Committee meeting.
In addition to students who fail a course, the committee may also meet with students who consistently score below 75% for final course grades, receive negative comments on clinical rotations, or have any other academic or professionalism issues. Students accused of unethical behavior, such as dishonesty, theft, and violation of patient confidentiality, may also be referred to the Student Progress Committee. (See Disciplinary Procedures in the LMU-CDM Student Handbook).
Students in the Preclinical and Clinical Years
For students failing one course or rotation in a given academic year, the Student Progress Committee may recommend one of the following:
- The student must take a remediation exam or exams given by the LMU-CDM faculty.
- The student must repeat all or a portion of the academic year.
- The student must remediate the course during the summer semester.
For students who fail two or more courses or rotations in the same year, the Student Progress Committee may recommend one of the following:
- The student must repeat all or a portion of the entire academic year.
- The student will be dismissed from LMU-CDM.
For students who fail two or more courses or rotations in different academic years, the Student Progress Committee may recommend one of the following:
- The student must take a remediation exam or exams, given by the LMU-CDM faculty.
- The student must repeat all or a portion of the entire academic year.
- The student will be dismissed from LMU-CDM.
In addition, once a student starts treating patients, each student is responsible for adhering to the Professional Decorum Standards of the College of Dental Medicine as outlined in the clinical manual. These standards apply in all classrooms, laboratories, and clinical settings, including during tests. Breaches of these standards should be reported to the Dean of Clinical Affairs and to the SPC by the Group Leader faculty, staff, or other students via email, detailing the involved parties, infractions, and time of occurrence.
Note: Failures are cumulative across all semesters and years in the program.