Department of Sociology and Criminology

Graduate Student Review Policy

PURPOSE

The purpose of the graduate student review policy is to set forth the guidelines for reviewing students in the Sociology Graduate Program at the University of West Georgia. The goal of the policy is to maintain the quality of students who are enrolled in and graduate from the program. According to the guidelines established by the American Sociological Association (ASA) code of ethics, the graduate program strives to produce graduates who are sound in their professional competence, maintain a high level of integrity, are professionally and scientifically responsible, have respect for individual rights, and who are socially responsible. The department recognizes that most conflicts involving graduate students and their interaction with staff, faculty, and peers are best resolved on an informal basis. However, it is also recognized that a more formal intervention may be necessary under certain conditions in order to guide a student toward the resolution of a conflict or recommend the removal of a student from the program.

REVIEW PROCESS

In order to meet the above stated goal, a list of all students currently enrolled in the program will be provided to each full-time faculty member once per semester. This list should be made available one week prior to a scheduled faculty meeting. The agenda of this meeting will be to discuss the progress of all full-time graduate students and to allow faculty members to compare their observations of and recommendations for these students. At this meeting proposals and rationale for a formal review may be presented verbally and should be followed by a written statement that will be placed in the students permanent file. The faculty may then vote to recommend a formal review process.

Additionally, any member of the faculty may refer a student to the director of graduate studies (DGS) for review at any time during the academic year. The referral should be made in writing to the DGS who, after consultation with the faculty member making the referral, shall have the right to decline the request, retain it for discussion at the next regular faculty meeting, or initiate a formal review process.

FORMAL REVIEW

If conflicts involving graduate students cannot be resolved by way of informal procedures, the DGS may initiate a formal review by the Student Review Committee (SRC) which shall consist of three (3) full-time faculty members including the director of graduate studies (DGS) who shall serve as a standing member of the committee. The student under review may also request that one (1) additional faculty member of their choosing serve on the committee. The purpose of the SRC is to insure due process and equitable application of department policies.

Students under review shall be notified by mail that they are under review and will be given the specific reason(s) for the review. They shall also be notified of the proper procedures whereby they may respond to the charges of the SRC. The student shall be given two weeks to respond to the notification and shall have the option to respond to the SRC in writing or in person where they may present testimony and evidence in support of their position. After the student has responded, the SRC shall vote on a recommended course of action and present their recommendation to the DGS. The DGS shall review the recommendation of the committee and may accept, reject, or modify the recommendation.

The actions that the SRC may recommend are as follows:

1) No action;

2) A verbal warning;

3) Development of an improvement plan governing the student=s continued enrollment;

4) A written warning to be placed in the student=s file;

5) Suspension from the program for a set period of time;

6) Permanent removal from the program.

Upon review of the SRCs recommendation and determination of a course of action, the DGS shall notify the student in writing of the proposed plan of action. The student shall be given one week to respond to the DGS before the final implementation of the proposed action. After the student has been given time to respond, the DGS will notify all parties involved to put the plan into action in accordance with UWG policies and procedures.