Section VI: Dismissal and Separation

Dismissal is an administrative withdrawal from Undergraduate or Graduate Programs. Reasons for academic dismissal may include but are not limited to, the following:

• Undergraduate students with a GPA below 2.0 or graduate students with a GPA below 3.0.
• Failure of the same course for the second time.
• Failure of two separate courses in the program.
• Violations of the CU College of Nursing Student Honor and Conduct Code (SHCC) or Professional Role Behaviors (PRB) policy.

The Assistant Dean of the relevant program will make a recommendation for dismissal to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. If the recommendation is accepted, the Associate Dean of Academic Programs will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to petition. Eligible students have five business days from the date of dismissal notification to initiate the petition of dismissal. Instructions for submitting the dismissal appeal will be included in the dismissal notice.

 If a dismissal appeal (petition) is submitted, a hearing will be scheduled by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Appeal hearings include two faculty, one member of SAC, the Assistant Dean of the respective program or designee, and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. The appeal hearing is facilitated by the Director of Admissions and Student Affairs or their designee.

As a part of this appeal, all information, notes, and documents submitted to the SAC committee will be shared with the ad hoc committee and the student. The student may not bring forth additional information unless new information, not available at the time of the SAC hearing(s) has become available.  If the student’s suspension or dismissal is not related to a SAC decision, any documentation retained by faculty, involved parties, or the student related to this action will be shared with the ad hoc committee.

The student will be permitted to bring a support person during the hearing, but the support person may not speak on behalf of the student.

A dismissal appeal hearing may result in one of the following actions:

• The dismissal action is overturned.
• The dismissal decision is upheld.
• The dismissal action is overturned with contingencies.

The outcome of the dismissal appeal hearing is final.

Dismissed students may reapply to CU College of Nursing after one year from the date of dismissal based on admission criteria if a provision for reapplication is noted in the dismissal notice. The College of Nursing is under no obligation to readmit the student and the student should consult with the Program Director or appropriate assistant dean/coordinator before reapplying. Due to the severity of some dismissal cases, a reapplication provision is not always provided.

The dismissed student does not have access to certain CU resources (e.g., parking, libraries) but maintains access to their CU email account, which will be used as the official means of communication.

Any student may be suspended when they violate the CU College of Nursing Student Honor and Conduct Code (SHCC) or Professional Role Behaviors (PRB) policy. A recommendation for Suspension is made by the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. The Associate Dean for Academic Programs will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to petition. When Suspended, the student cannot register for any CU courses (including non-degree courses) and is not eligible for financial aid or health insurance. The suspended student does not have access to certain CU resources (e.g., parking, libraries) but maintains access to their CU email account, which will be used as the official means of communication.

The academic suspension period is as long as needed to investigate the SHCC or PRB violation. Until the investigation is completed, the student’s program progression is interrupted. Decisions regarding suspension include but are not limited to placing the student on an Individual Program Plan (IPP), requiring the student to comply with CU College of Nursing recommendations for return to the program, dismissal from the program, or expulsion from CU, depending on the outcome of the investigation.

Expulsion, which may be imposed in conjunction with Exclusion, is an administrative decision that entails permanent removal from CU with no opportunity to return to any CU campus.

Exclusion status denies the student access to all or a portion of the Anschutz Medical Campus. Exclusion includes any building owned or operated by CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The student may be permitted on campus for limited or specific periods of time with the permission from the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. If the student enters campus without permission, punitive action for trespass, including arrest, may be taken by CU College of Nursing and/or police.

A student is placed on Academic Probation for the first course failure. This indicates the student is in academic jeopardy. A student on Academic Probation is expected to (a) communicate frequently with the Specialty Lead Advisor of the Undergraduate Program/Graduate Specialty Director and Academic Advisor/Graduate Student Advisor in the Office of Admission and Student Affairs and (b) use other campus resources. Duration of Academic Probation varies by the reason for placement on Probation.

Undergraduate Program

A student on Academic Probation may repeat a course only once as scheduled (i.e., the subsequent offering of the admission cohort [Traditional or Accelerated] depending on the student’s original Plan of Study). The student will be required to pay tuition and fees associated with the repeated course.

Academic Probation triggers enrollment in a credit-bearing Clinical Progression course prior to retaking a failed course. No other courses at the CON may be taken until the Clinical Progression course is successfully completed.

Probation will be in effect during the term in which the student registers for the Clinical Progression course and continues into the semester in which the student re-enrolls in the course that was failed.

If the student’s GPA is 2.0 or greater at the end of the Probation period, the Probation will end, and the student will be in Good Academic Standing. If the student’s grade point average is not a minimum of 2.0 due to failure of the Clinical Progression course, the student will be referred to the Course Failure and/or Academic Progression Policy. During Academic Probation, the student will have full access to all campus resources, student health insurance, and financial aid.

Graduate Program

A student on Academic Probation may repeat a course only once as scheduled with the subsequent offering. The student will be required to pay tuition and fees associated with the repeated course. Probation will be in effect during the next term in which the student registers to repeat the course. If the student’s GPA is 3.0 or greater at the end of the Probation period following completion of the repeated course, the Probation will end, and the student will be in Good Academic Standing. Students have two semesters or six credits to raise their GPA to a 3.0 and thereby achieve Good Academic Standing. If the grade point average is not a minimum of 3.0 due to a second failure or inability to raise the GPA to a 3.0, the student’s situation will be referred to the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for progression recommendation.

During academic probation, the student will have full access to campus resources, including student health Insurance, and financial aid.