Registration and Academic Standards for Graduate Students

Change of Grading Basis

With Dean's Office approval, the grading basis can change from "Graded" to "Pass/No Pass" for elective courses. Students need to request the grading basis change prior to the last week of classes. No more than six hours of elective courses can have the grading basis change from "Graded" to "Pass/No Pass."

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all scheduled class meetings for the courses in which they are registered. Students should notify faculty when they are forced to miss a class because of extenuating circumstances. Faculty should report excessive absences to the program's faculty director. Students who are not on the class roster for a course are not permitted to attend the course.

Course Loads

Weatherhead requires students to register for and complete courses as specified in their cohort program curriculum plan to continue in their program and maintain any scholarship granted. Failure to adhere to the program curriculum plan may result in separation from the program.  Full time, three-quarter time, half time and less than half time enrollment information is provided by the University Registrar. 

Course Registration

A student may enroll during each registration period through the last day of late registration, as set by the official university calendar. Exceptions will be granted only upon the recommendation of the Dean of Weatherhead School of Management. A fee of $25 is charged during the late registration period.

To register, students must have a clear balance unless they are participating in the Bridge Loan Program. Students eligible for the Bridge Loan Program need to submit a company tuition reimbursement letter, Bridge Loan application, and fee each semester. Students register online using the Student Information System (SIS). Students who wish to apply for loans should contact the Office of University Financial Aid.

During any semester, a student may not register in more than one career in SIS, unless the student is in a dual-degree program. 

If at any time a student, other than Online MBA Healthcare Management track students, fails to register in two consecutive semesters, excluding the summer session, the student must reapply for admission to Weatherhead, unless prior approval was granted by the Weatherhead registrar.  Online MBA Healthcare Management track students review details in the Retention Requirements section.

Degrees Conferred

Case Western Reserve University confers degrees to qualified candidates three times per year: in August, for students who complete their programs during the summer semester; in January, for students who complete their programs during the fall semester; and in May, for students who complete their programs during the spring semester.

There is only one diploma ceremony each year, in May, and all candidates are invited to march at this ceremony, regardless of the month in which their degree was awarded. May degree candidates receive their diplomas the day of the ceremony. May degree candidates who do not participate in the diploma ceremony can have diplomas mailed or held for pick up. January and August degree recipients can have diplomas mailed or held for pick up. Students may not receive diplomas prior to the date on which the degree is to be granted.

Extra Assignments

No student is permitted to do extra assignments beyond the work assigned to all students in a course in order to obtain a higher grade. This policy applies to changing an I (Incomplete) grade to a regular grade or to changing one regular grade to another. However, faculty may replace or substitute assignments for individual students in a course, based on extenuating circumstances.

Grades

Grading Extra

Letter Grade	Meaning	Quality Points	Notes
A	Excellent	4
B	Good	3
C	Fair	2
D	Passing	1
F	Failure	0
R	Completion of the first semester of a two-semester course		No degree credit awarded
P	Pass	0	Degree credit awarded
NP	No pass
I	Incomplete		No degree credit awarded
AD	Successful audit		No degree credit awarded
NG	No grade, unsatisfactory audit
W	Withdrawal from a class		No degree credit awarded
WD	Withdrawal from all courses in a semester		No degree credit awarded

Midterm Grades

Grading Extra

Letter Grade	Meaning	Quality Points	Notes
S	Satisfactory	0	No degree credit awarded
U	Unsatisfactory	0	No degree credit awarded

Grade of Incomplete (I)

The grade I is assigned at the discretion of an instructor, provided that two criteria are met:

• There are extenuating circumstances, explained to the instructor before the assignment of the grade, which clearly justify an extension of time beyond the requirements established for other students in the class. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of the circumstances that prevent completion of the course
• The student has been passing the course and only a small segment of the course, such as a term paper, remains to be completed, for which the extenuating circumstances justify a special exception

In order to receive credit for an I, the student must complete the work by the date specified by the instructor, and no later than the end of the next regular semester (fall or spring semester).

In the absence of notification or adequate justification, the I will automatically change to F or NP (depending on the grading basis for the course) on the stated deadline.

If the student wishes to petition to extend a grade of I beyond the stated deadline, the student must obtain approval from the faculty member who assigned the I, and from the program's faculty director, before the deadline. A request must be made in writing, preferably via email, and convey (a) the extenuating circumstances justifying the extension and (b) the expected date of completion of the work. If approved, the request should be initialed by the faculty member and delivered by the student to the faculty director for approval and then to the Weatherhead School of Management Registrar. Failure to complete course requirements by the extended date will result in a grade of F or NP, depending on the grading basis for the course.

Graduation Requirements

A cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all graduate courses taken for credit in the Master of Accountancy, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change, Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence, Master of Finance, Master of Healthcare Management, Master of Science in FinTech, and Master of Supply Chain Management degree programs is required for graduation. Candidates must submit an application for graduation in SIS no later than two months before the graduation date at which their degree is expected to be awarded. The candidate is responsible for filing the application. Students are advised to contact the Weatherhead Registrar's Office if they have any questions regarding requirements for graduation. 

Leave of Absence

If a student will not be taking classes for more than one semester, the student should request a one-year leave of absence. Approval for any leave of absence from a degree program must be requested in writing by the student. This request for approval should be submitted to the faculty director of the program and the Weatherhead registrar. Unapproved interruption in the program sequence constitutes separation from the program.

Retroactive leaves of absence are not permitted. Students who fail to return upon completion of a leave of absence need to re-apply to the degree program. Students must graduate within six years from the start of their first semester at Weatherhead. A leave of absence does not extend the maximum time permitted for the completion of degree requirements. A leave of absence cannot be taken if students are on an approved extension of the time limit to complete their degree.

Registration

Students generally register for classes and make changes to their schedule using SIS. Step by step information on registering for classes is available online. For assistance with this process, students must contact the Weatherhead registrar before the last day of the drop/add period.

Repeat Policy

In general, Masters's students can take a course for credit only one time. Master of Accountancy, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change, Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence, Master of Finance, Master of Healthcare Management, Master of Science in FinTech, and Master of Supply Chain Management students who earn a grade of F or NP in a core course must repeat the course, or an equivalent course as approved by the faculty program director. Graduate students can repeat Curricular Practical Training or the equivalent, Independent Study/Special Problems and Topics, and International Institute/study abroad electives. Full-semester study abroad experiences at an international school are not repeatable. Doctor of Business Administration students who earned a grade of NP in a doctoral course are required to repeat the course and earn a P. 

Residency

For the Doctor of Business Administration program

In-person presence at each residency is critical for success in the Doctor of Business Administration program. Student participation at the residency sessions is obligatory. Students are expected to attend each residency and each class and to participate throughout the program with classmates in small groups, team projects and practicums. If unavoidable absences arise, these should be approved in advance and accommodation should be reached with the faculty member(s) in question to make up the content.

For the Executive MBA program

In-person presence at each residency is critical for success in the Executive MBA program. Students are expected to attend each residency and each class. If unavoidable absences arise, these should be approved in advance and accommodation should be reached with the faculty member(s) in question to make up the content. In addition to regularly scheduled classes, students can expect to attend frequent meetings with small groups formed at the start of the program.

For the Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change program

In-person presence at each residency is critical for success in the Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change program. Students are expected to attend each residency and each class and to participate throughout the program with classmates in small groups, team projects and practicums. If unavoidable absences arise, these should be approved in advance and accommodation should be reached with the faculty member(s) in question to make up the content.

Retention Requirements

All students are required to follow their curriculum plan and graduate with their cohort. If at any time a student, other than Online MBA Healthcare Management track students, fails to register in two consecutive semesters, excluding the summer session, the student must reapply for admission to Weatherhead, unless prior approval was granted by the Weatherhead registrar.

For the Master of Accountancy, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change, Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence, Master of Finance, Master of Healthcare Management, Master of Science in FinTech, and Master of Supply Chain Management degree programs

• All grades received are included in the calculation of the GPA
• A cumulative GPA of 2.5 is needed to maintain good standing
• A cumulative GPA below 2.5 will result in probation
• A cumulative GPA below 2.5 in two semesters will result in separation from the program
• Students must retake a core course in which they earn an F or NP, or an equivalent course approved by the faculty program director
• A course in which an F or NP is earned contributes no hours toward graduation requirements

For the Online MBA program - Healthcare Management Track

All students are required to follow their curriculum plan and graduate with their cohort. If a student fails to register in two consecutive semesters, including the summer semester, the student must reapply for admission to Weatherhead unless prior approval was granted by the Weatherhead Registrar. All other requirements as stated above apply.

For the Master of Engineering and Management degree program

Students should contact the Master of Engineering and Management program director for specifics regarding Retention Requirements.

Time Limit to Return to a Degree Program

Students who leave their WSOM Graduate program (after not returning from an approved one-year leave of absence or not returning due to a lapse in enrollment) and request to return to complete their degree after a time period greater than six years from the start of their program, need to start their program from the beginning and are not eligible to resume working on their degree using their previously completed coursework.

Transcripts

Case Western Reserve University considers grades and other information about a student’s performance at the university to be a private matter and will release such information to the student only upon written request. Official transcripts may be withheld in accordance with the university's Student Accounts Past Due Policy. Transcripts are issued by the University Registrar's Office. Transcript requests can be made online.

Transcripts of work completed at other institutions will not be released to the student or other third parties.

Transfers and Waivers

No transfers, waivers, or substitutions are accepted for full-time Master of Business Administration, Executive Master of Business Administration, and Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change.

For Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence, Master of Finance, Master of Science in FinTech, and Master of Supply Chain Management

Upon written approval of the faculty director, Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence, Master of Finance, Master of Science in FinTech and Master of Supply Chain Management students may substitute up to nine credit hours of coursework if comparable CWRU courses have been completed.

For Master of Accountancy

Students may transfer up to nine credit hours of prior course work from accredited institutions with prior written approval from the faculty director and the Weatherhead registrar. No course in which the student received a grade lower than a B will be accepted. Graduate courses counted toward another degree are not eligible for transfer credit. Courses completed more than five years prior to the start of the Master of Accountancy program are not eligible for transfer credit. If a transfer credit request is approved, upon completion of the course, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the Weatherhead Registrar’s Office with an official transfer transcript. Courses cannot be transferred without an official transfer transcript. Quarter hours convert to semester hours with a conversion of 0.67 semester hours for every 1.0 quarter hours.

For Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence

Students may transfer up to 10.5 credit hours of prior course work from accredited institutions with prior written approval from the faculty director and the Weatherhead registrar. No course in which the student received a grade lower than a B will be accepted. Graduate courses counted toward another degree are not eligible for transfer credit. Courses completed more than five years prior to the start of the Master of Business Analytics and Intelligence program are not eligible for transfer credit. If a transfer credit request is approved, upon completion of the course, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the Weatherhead Registrar’s Office with an official transfer transcript. Courses cannot be transferred without an official transfer transcript. Quarter hours convert to semester hours with a conversion of 0.67 semester hours for every 1.0 quarter hours.

For Master of Healthcare Management

Students may transfer up to six credit hours of prior course work from an accredited university to replace elective classes only with written approval from the faculty director and the Weatherhead registrar. No course in which the student received a grade lower than a B will be accepted. Graduate courses counted toward another degree are not eligible for transfer credit. Courses completed more than five years prior to the start of the Master of Healthcare Management program are not eligible for transfer credit. If a transfer credit request is approved, upon completion of the course, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the Weatherhead Registrar’s Office with an official transfer transcript. Courses cannot be transferred without an official transfer transcript. Quarter hours convert to semester hours with a conversion of 0.67 semester hours for every 1.0 quarter hours. 

For Online Master of Business Administration - Healthcare

Students may transfer up to six credit hours of prior course work from an AACSB-accredited university with approval from the faculty director and the Weatherhead registrar. No course in which the student received a grade lower than a B will be accepted. Graduate courses counted toward another degree are not eligible for transfer credit. Courses completed more than five years prior to the start of the MBA program are not eligible for transfer credit. If a transfer credit request is approved, upon completion of the course, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the Weatherhead Registrar’s Office with an official transfer transcript. Courses cannot be transferred without an official transfer transcript. Quarter hours convert to semester hours with a conversion of 0.67 semester hours for every 1.0 quarter hours. 

For part-time Master of Business Administration

Students may transfer up to six credit hours of prior course work from an accredited university to replace elective classes only with written approval from the faculty director and the Weatherhead registrar. No course in which the student received a grade lower than a B will be accepted. Graduate courses counted toward another degree are not eligible for transfer credit. Courses completed more than five years prior to the start of the part-time Master of Business Administration program are not eligible for transfer credit. If a transfer credit request is approved, upon completion of the course, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the Weatherhead Registrar’s Office with an official transfer transcript. Courses cannot be transferred without an official transfer transcript. Quarter hours convert to semester hours with a conversion of 0.67 semester hours for every 1.0 quarter hours. 

Withdrawals

To withdraw from courses during a semester, the student may either initiate a request to withdraw in SIS or contact the Weatherhead registrar before the last day of classes. All withdrawals after the official drop/add periods will result in a grade of W (WD if withdrawing from all classes) on the student's transcript. A student withdrawing after the last day of classes will receive a grade of F unless, in the judgment of the program's faculty director, there are valid reasons for recording the grade of W.

Failure to attend class, giving notice to the instructor, or nonpayment of fees will not be regarded as official notice of withdrawal. A grade of F will be assigned in each course from which the student has not officially withdrawn.

Note: A student is not entitled to any tuition adjustment for a single course dropped after the drop/add deadline. However, if a student is forced to withdraw from all coursework for the semester due to unavoidable and unforeseen circumstances, they may petition (in writing to the Weatherhead registrar) for a partial tuition refund. Tuition charges for withdrawals after the drop/add deadline are prorated based upon the week of withdrawal and according to the withdrawal and refund schedule published by Student Financial Services.

Undergraduate Policies

For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

PhD Policies

For PhD policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Academic Integrity Policy 

This policy comprises the standards of academic integrity in the graduate programs of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and sets forth the procedures to be followed by the dean, faculty and staff in cases in which students are alleged to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy. This policy does not address alleged violations and disciplinary actions in the undergraduate programs. Such matters are addressed at the university level.

Academic integrity is vital to the Weatherhead graduate programs' learner-centered approach to management education. A deep commitment to learning and honesty on the part of every student is crucial. Every student is expected to respect the learning process, to enhance it and to strenuously avoid any activity that might corrupt it. Students are required to report observed violations of the Weatherhead code of academic conduct. Faculty, the dean and administration also have a crucial role in upholding academic integrity at Weatherhead and ensuring adherence to general principles of academic integrity and this policy.

To foster a well-informed commitment to academic integrity, the following policies govern the Weatherhead learning environment:

1. All forms of dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism or knowingly furnishing false information to Weatherhead faculty or administrators are prohibited. This standard is to be interpreted strictly. Examples of violations of the code of academic conduct include, but are not limited to:
   • Communication or use of aids not specifically authorized by the instructor during examinations. Such instances include giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in any form (including the use of unauthorized aids, copying from another student’s work, or giving, soliciting or receiving unauthorized aid).
   • Submission of work prepared for another class, for another section of the same class in the same or prior years, or by other students without the prior authorization of the course instructor.
   • Submission of texts or partial texts prepared by anyone other than the student (plagiarism), including material from the internet, without proper attribution, including whether the true author is aware of or condones the act. Plagiarism can occur inadvertently due to the omission of proper credit and includes failure to properly footnote sources, to indicate quoted or paraphrased material or to credit others for their ideas, words or work.
   • Misrepresentation on a resume, Weatherhead application materials or any other official document.
2. Computer software is private intellectual property; therefore, copying university-owned or -licensed software or data, or loading such software onto another computer system for personal or external non-CWRU use without prior written approval is prohibited. The modification of university-owned or -licensed software or data without prior written approval is prohibited.
3. Information technology, including computers, data transmission and storage technology are essential to knowledge production and learning. Damage or disruption to the operation of computer equipment, data communications equipment or data communications lines is prohibited. The use of university-owned or -licensed computers for non-educational purposes or for purposes for which they were not intended is prohibited.

Academic Integrity Officer and Associate Academic Integrity Officer

To maintain and consolidate information on prior academic integrity violations and associated consequences, prior to each academic year, Council will designate one Academic Integrity Officer (AIO) and one Associate Academic Integrity Officer (AAIO) from the full-time faculty to serve a term of one year of service during the coming academic year, renewable up to five years based upon the respective individuals’ willingness and ability to fulfill the respective roles. Council will carefully consider the fit between the workload demands of the AIO and AAIO and the characteristics of the individuals, including such things as the individuals’ tenure, rank and previous involvement in other Weatherhead committees related to Weatherhead curriculum. To fulfill the responsibilities of the AIO, the individual will be provided with the appropriate administrative support.

The AIO is the first contact for allegations of violations of the code of academic conduct, as explained below. The AAIO is appointed for two purposes. First, the AAIO serves as a backup for the AIO in the event that conflicts of interest or other obligations prevent the AIO from fulfilling AIO duties in a given case. Second, Council selects the AAIO with the idea that the AAIO may become the succeeding AIO when the AIO’s term is concluded, whereupon Council will designate a replacement AAIO. The expectation is that the AIO and the AAIO will work together on academic integrity issues that arise.

If a student witnesses an activity that appears to violate the code of academic conduct, that student must take proper action to address or curtail the activity. Proper action may include confronting the individuals involved, requesting that the instructor clarify the guidelines for appropriate conduct, and reporting the activity to the instructor or the AIO. Provision will be made for an anonymous reporting channel as necessary.

In the event that a faculty member has reasonable grounds to suspect that a student has violated the Weatherhead Code of Academic Conduct, the faculty member must consult the AIO. The purpose of the consultation is fourfold: (1) to provide the faculty member with an awareness of precedents for the violation in question, (2) to maintain consistency across departments in the Weatherhead, (3) to determine whether the student has prior violations and (4) to allow the faculty member and the AIO to determine whether additional information should be gathered about the alleged incident and by whom. If the student has had prior offenses, a hearing must be conducted.

A faculty member may resolve the violation without a hearing if the following four conditions are met: (1) the incident and sanction have been reported to the AIO, (2) the student admits to the violation, (3) based on the best information available, it is the student’s first violation and (4) the student accepts the sanction proposed by the faculty member. If the student does not accept the faculty member's proposed sanction, the student has one week from that refusal to request a hearing. The minimum sanction in such cases is failure in the work in question; the maximum sanction is failure in the course. In addition, any student guilty of an academic integrity violation shall not be permitted to participate in the evaluation process for either the faculty member(s) who brought the allegation or the course in which the violation occurred. 

If any one of the four conditions noted above is not met, or if the faculty member concludes that the seriousness of the offense warrants a hearing, a hearing must be convened in accordance with the procedures outlined below. In addition, students found guilty of an academic integrity violation shall not have the same rights as other students to participate in the course/instructor evaluation process. A separate policy document regarding this can be obtained from the AIO. 

If a hearing is warranted then a maximum penalty can include failure in the course and expulsion.

Procedures for Conducting Academic Integrity Disciplinary Hearings

Initial Steps

1. The faculty member or other individual alleging the academic integrity violation shall prepare a written, signed statement containing a description of the acts constituting the alleged violation of the Code of Academic Conduct, including dates, times, locations and names of individuals involved. The written statement shall include all supporting evidence that is pertinent to the alleged violation.
2. The individual shall submit the statement to the AIO. The AIO will review the statement to determine whether the written statement contains sufficient information to warrant further investigation. The AIO shall also notify the university’s Office of Student Affairs of the matter. The AIO can continue to consult the university’s Office of Student Affairs to the extent appropriate.
3. If the AIO determines that further investigation is warranted, the AIO may request that other parties prepare written statements describing their knowledge of the alleged violation of the Code of Academic Conduct.
4. The AIO shall notify the student of the allegations and that a hearing will be scheduled, which will provide the student with the opportunity to prepare a defense against the allegations and to have an adviser present at the hearing.

Hearing Process

1. After receiving all written statements and any other pertinent information, the AIO shall convene an ad hoc hearing committee comprised of the following individuals: (a) one student, and (b) two full-time regular faculty members. One non-voting administrative staff member shall also attend to take minutes of the proceeding. The members of the committee will elect one member to serve as chair with the staff member recording the minutes. The AIO shall approach student government and allow that organization to nominate the student representative. If student government does not respond, the AIO shall appoint a student representative. 
2. Prior to the hearing, the ad hoc hearing committee members will be provided with the written documents concerning the alleged incident and any other pertinent information.
3. The ad hoc hearing committee will establish a hearing date and communicate the date to all parties involved. Prior to the hearing date, the student in question shall have access to all written documents and any other information the ad hoc hearing committee has reviewed. For these purposes, the committee should be aware that privacy concerns or related legal issues may prevent the sharing of certain information with the student. For example, cases may arise in which the sharing of certain information may violate the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). In such cases, the committee will consult with the university’s legal counsel.
4. All members of the ad hoc hearing committee must be present at the hearing.
5. The student may be accompanied and assisted by an adviser. The adviser shall not be permitted to participate in the hearing except to advise the student.
6. The faculty member bringing the academic integrity matter to the hearing ordinarily must be present at the hearing. However, if the AIO determines that no material issue of fact exists, the faculty member's presence is not required.
7. Minutes of the hearing will be recorded by the staff member referenced in item 1 of this section.
8. The student shall have the opportunity to argue their defense and to present supporting evidence and witnesses. The student shall have the opportunity to hear and question witnesses against them by directing all such inquiry through the person chairing the meeting.
9. The hearing committee shall have the authority to reasonably limit the time for testimony for each witness, including the testimony of the student in question.
10. After the hearing, the committee shall convene to discuss the information presented. The committee shall make a written recommendation at this time. The recommendation shall be made to the dean no later than one week after the hearing. The dean will make the final decision regarding the outcome of the hearing.
11. The recommendation may include discipline up to and including expulsion. The student will receive a copy of the committee's recommendation.

Sanctions and Appeal Process

1. The dean shall have the authority to accept, reject or modify the hearing committee's recommendation, after consultation with the AIO and, if possible, the AAIO. The student shall have the right to present in writing their basis for requesting acceptance, rejection or modification. The dean shall communicate their decision in writing to the student and the committee.
2. In no event will a student be suspended from classes or expelled prior to a final resolution of the charges, except in cases where the dean believes the student’s presence on campus presents a risk to the university community.
3. The procedures set forth herein do not preempt the jurisdiction and disciplinary processes of other university bodies that retain their own concurrent jurisdiction to investigate and enforce their own rules and impose their own disciplinary measures. In circumstances in which different disciplinary findings or measures may be imposed by different bodies, the more severe shall have precedent.
4. A student found in violation of the academic integrity policy has the right to appeal the original decision to the Provost’s Office according to the following procedures: An appeal of a decision must be submitted in writing and postmarked or hand-delivered to the provost or the provost’s designee within 10 calendar days after the date on which written notice of the decision was sent to the student. Each student shall be limited to one appeal. The decision of the appeal officer is final.
5. An appeal may be based only upon one or more of the following grounds: (a) procedural error, (b) misapplication or misinterpretation of the rule alleged to have been violated, (c) findings of facts not supported by a preponderance of evidence, (d) discovery of substantial new facts that were unavailable at the time of the hearing, or (e) that the disciplinary sanction imposed is grossly disproportionate to the violation committed.
6. The appeal officer shall dismiss the appeal if the appeal is not based upon one or more of the grounds set forth in section 5 immediately above. The appeal officer may decide the appeal based upon a review of the record. The appeal officer may request additional written information or an oral presentation from any relevant person(s) and then decide the appeal based upon the enhanced record.
7. The appeal officer may, after a review of the record, uphold the original sanction, dismiss the original sanction or impose a lesser sanction. An appeal officer may also remand the case to the original hearing body or refer the case to a new hearing officer or panel to be reheard. If possible, the new hearing officer or panel should be different from the one that originally decided the case. If a case is reheard by a hearing officer or panel, the sanction imposed could be greater or lesser than that imposed at the original hearing.
8. A student and hearing officer may agree in advance to minor deviations from procedure. Such deviations are not then subject to appeal. Other minor deviations are acceptable as long as such deviations are not found upon appeal to be unreasonably harmful to the student.

Standards of Conduct Beyond Academic Integrity

In addition to the standards set forth in the Academic Integrity Policy, Weatherhead students are subject to the university’s University Code of Conduct. All students are expected to make themselves aware of those standards and refrain from engaging in any prohibited activities.  

A student accused of any of the listed prohibited activities may be referred to the disciplinary conduct procedures described below.

Disciplinary Conduct Procedures

Initial Steps

1. The student, faculty member or member of staff making the allegation shall prepare a written and signed statement containing a complete description of the acts constituting the violation of the university Standards of Conduct, including dates, times, locations and names of individuals involved.
2. The written statement must be directed to the dean of Weatherhead who may choose a designee to administer the disciplinary proceedings. The dean or designee shall review the statement to determine whether the written statement contains enough information to warrant further investigation. The dean or designee shall also notify the university’s Office of Student Affairs of the matter. The dean or designee and university Office of Student Affairs will work collaboratively on this matter to the extent appropriate.
3. If the dean or designee determines that further investigation is warranted, they may require that other parties involved make a written statement describing their knowledge of the incident. The student in question will be notified in writing of the nature of the charges against them.
4. The student will be notified that a hearing will be scheduled and that they will have the opportunity to defend themselves against the allegations and to have an adviser present at the hearing.

Hearing Process

1. After receiving all written statements and any other pertinent information, the dean or designee shall convene an ad hoc hearing committee consisting of two elected student officers, two full-time faculty members and one administrative staff member. The members of the committee shall elect one member to serve as chair.
2. Prior to the hearing, the hearing committee will be provided with the written documents concerning the alleged incident and any other pertinent information.
3. A hearing date will be decided upon and communicated to all parties involved. Prior to the hearing date, the student in question shall have access to all written documents and any other information the hearing committee has reviewed, unless the committee decides that it would be inappropriate to provide certain information to the student.
4. On the hearing date, all members of the hearing committee must be present.
5. The student may be accompanied and assisted at the hearing by an adviser. The adviser shall not be permitted to participate in the hearing except to advise the student.
6. Minutes of the hearing will be recorded.
7. The student shall have the opportunity to argue their defense and to present supporting witnesses. The student shall have the opportunity to hear and cross-examine witnesses against them by directing all such inquiry through the meeting chair, unless the committee deems that it would be inappropriate to permit cross-examination for certain witnesses.
8. The hearing committee shall have the authority to limit the time for testimony for each witness, including the testimony of the student in question.
9. After the hearing, the committee shall convene to discuss the evidence presented and to make a written recommendation. The recommendation will be made to the dean or designee no later than one week after the hearing.
10. The recommendation may include discipline up to and including suspension and expulsion. The student shall receive a copy of the committee's recommendation.

Sanctions and Appeal Process

1. The dean or designee shall have the authority to accept, reject or modify the hearing committee's recommendation. The dean or designee shall communicate their decision in writing to the student and the committee. The student shall have the right to present, in writing, a request for acceptance, rejection or modification no later than one week after receiving the decision.
2. In no event will a student be suspended from classes or expelled prior to a final resolution of the charges, except in cases where the dean or designee believes that the student's presence on campus presents a risk to the university community.

The procedures set forth herein do not preempt the jurisdiction and disciplinary processes of other university bodies, which retain their own concurrent jurisdiction to investigate and enforce their own rules and impose their own disciplinary measures. In circumstances where different disciplinary findings and/or measures may be imposed by different bodies, the more severe sanction shall take precedence.

Grievance Procedures

Staff and faculty members have an important role to play in supporting the best possible learning environment. In the event that a student feels unjustly affected by a non-disciplinary academic or administrative action, they may grieve the action or decision in the following manner:

1. The student should bring their complaint directly to the person responsible for the action in question. The student should make an effort to resolve the problem informally. If the matter involves a complaint with a faculty member, the student should first approach the faculty member directly. If those efforts are not successful, the student should bring the matter to the appropriate department chair to make additional attempts at informal resolution.
2. If efforts at informal resolution of the problem are not successful, the student shall prepare a written statement within a reasonable period of time after the action or decision that gives rise to the grievance. The statement shall contain the following:
   • Date of the grievance
   • Brief description of the alleged unjust academic or administrative action or decision
   • Names of individual(s) involved
   • Explanation of previous attempts to resolve the problem(s)
   • Action(s) that the student believes should be taken to resolve the problem
3. The written statement shall be directed to the director of student experience.
4. The dean or dean's designee may request that the individual(s) named in the grievant's written statement prepare a written statement responding to the grievant.
5. Upon receiving the written statements, the dean or designee shall convene an ad hoc committee consisting of one student and two full-time faculty members.
6. The committee shall consider the written statements of the individuals involved and any other information they deem relevant. The committee may interview the individuals involved, including the grievant.
7. The committee shall make a written recommendation to the dean or designee and furnish a copy to the grievant.
8. The dean or designee may accept, reject or modify any or all of the committee's recommendations. The dean or designee shall make the final decision as to the grievance and shall communicate the decision to the grievant in writing.

All grievances will be held in strictest confidence by all involved. The grievance process cannot be used to circumvent the disciplinary process and procedures set forth elsewhere in this document.