ARC-PA Student Policy 7A – Academic Standards

Graduate Programs

Academic Standards: Performance and Progression

Policy Number: S7A  |  Issue Date: 01/05/2019  |  Date Approved: 12/15/2025

Responsible Party: Professional Standards and Progress Committee
Minimum Review Frequency: Every 3 years
Approving Body: Program Faculty

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ARC-PA Associated Standards (6th Edition)

A3.01 Program policies are published, readily available, and consistently applied to all students, principle faculty, staff, and the program director regardless of location.

A3.14 The program publishes, makes readily available to enrolled and prospective students:

1. any required academic standards to maintain enrollment and progress in the curriculum
2. requirements and deadlines for completion of the program
3. policies and procedures for remediation
4. policies and procedures for deceleration
5. policies and procedures for withdrawal
6. policies and procedures for dismissal
7. policies and procedures for student grievances
8. policies and procedures for student appeals

B4.01 The program conducts frequent, objective, and documented evaluations of student performance to ensure students meet the program’s learning outcomes for both didactic and supervised clinical practice experience components. The evaluations:

2. Allow the program to identify and address any student deficiencies in a timely manner

Background and Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear expectations on requirements and procedures related to UM-Flint PA student academic performance and progression.

I. Definitions

Academic Intervention: The process of identifying at-risk students early to promote successful acquisition of the requisite knowledge to be successful.

Academic or Professional Probation

The status where a student remains in the PA program with further remediation required for progression, to be completed prior to the next semester. A student may be placed on probation for a specific academic or professional circumstance as outlined in this policy.  

Admitted Students: Students who have been admitted to the Physician Assistant (PA) program who have not commenced professional course work.

Clinical Affiliates: Clinical practice sites used by the program to provide supervised clinical practice experiences for students. 

Clinical Phase: The final 3 semesters of the program involving supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPE), 12 months. 

Clinical Phase Probation: The status where a student remains in the PA program with further clinical phase remediation required for progression. Offered only upon the recommendation of the Professional Standards and Progress Committee, a student may be given an opportunity to correct the academic, clinical or professional deficiency.

Clinical Preceptor:  Any instructional faculty member who provides student supervision during supervised clinical practice experiences. Also referred to as the preceptor of record. Clinical preceptors for PA students can be licensed and certified PAs, MDs, DOs, NPs, and Nurse Midwives. Trainees may not be preceptors

Core Courses: courses in the UM-Flint PA program whose course numbers are designated by the prefix “PPA”, in addition to the BIO 510 and PHS 552 courses.

Course Coordinator: Faculty member primarily responsible for the organization, delivery and evaluation of a course. 

Deceleration: The loss of a student from the entering cohort, who remains matriculated in the Physician Assistant program.

Didactic Phase: The first 4 semesters of the program, 16 months. 

Dismissal: A program-based decision that results in a student exit from the program.

Good Standing: A PA student with an overall GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher, who demonstrates professional behaviors.

Incomplete: A student may receive a grade of Incomplete (“I”) only if the coursework remaining to be done by the end of the semester is small and the instructor approves an extension for completing the unfinished work.  

Instructional Faculty: Individuals providing instruction or supervision during the didactic and/or clinical phases of the program at less than 50% effort (FTE), regardless of faculty status or rank. This includes roles such as guest lecturer and adjunct faculty (paid or unpaid). Clinical instructional faculty are also considered the preceptor of record (see definition of clinical preceptor). Trainees may not function as preceptor of record. 

Leave of Absence: A period of time a student is granted to be away from his/her studies while maintaining the status of current student.

Principal faculty: Those faculty working at least 50% FTE with primary academic responsibility assigned to the PA program who report to the department director. 

Program Faculty: The program/department director, medical director, principal faculty and instructional faculty.

Remediation: The program’s defined and applied process for addressing deficiencies in a student’s knowledge, skills, and professional behavior such that the correction of these deficiencies is measurable and can be documented. 

Summative Evaluation: An assessment of the learner that is conducted by the program to ensure that the learner has met the program’s competencies for the medical knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities required for entry into the profession. 

Technical Standards: Nonacademic requirements for participation in an educational program or activity. They include physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities required for satisfactory completion of all aspects of the curriculum and for entry into the profession. 

Withdrawal: A student-based or administrative decision that results in a student exit from the program. A student must reapply to the program to regain admission. 

Grading System for the UM-Flint PA Program

Letter Grade	Honor Points
A+	4.0
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
I	Incomplete
Y	Course in Progress
W	Officially Withdrawn

Incomplete: A grade of Incomplete (“I”) is awarded only if the coursework remaining to be done by the end of the semester is small and the instructor approves an extension for completing the unfinished work.  The instructor must agree to this arrangement and determine a deadline for finishing the assigned work before a grade is assigned but must be completed no later than the last day of the second week of the subsequent semester. The notation of “I” remains a permanent part of the academic record. When coursework is completed to the satisfaction of the instructor, the grade will appear on the transcript as, for example, “IB+.”  The grade point average is based only on hours of coursework completed.

Multi-Term Course (Y).  Graduate programs may designate a graduate course as a multi-term course. The instructor may report a “Y” grade at the end of the first term to indicate that the work is still in progress. When a final grade is reported, the grade will be posted, and the “Y” notation will be removed.

Course Drop/PA Program Withdrawal (W) _(A3.14e): If a PA student drops a PA Program course at any time during the 28-month curriculum, the student must drop all courses and withdraw from the PA Program. PA students must be enrolled in all prescribed courses each semester to remain a student in the program. There is no part-time enrollment option. Consult the UM-Flint Registrar website at: https://www.umflint.edu/registrar/registration for information regarding course drop or program withdrawal.

If a student withdraws from the PA program, they can still attend the University of Michigan-Flint. Please see the Registrar website: https://www.umflint.edu/registrar/registration

To achieve satisfactory academic progress leading to promotion in the UM-Flint PA Program the student must maintain at least a minimum cumulative grade point average of B (a University GPA of 3.00). The Program considers a final course grade below “B” (honor points 3.00) in any of the required courses and SCPEs to represent unsatisfactory academic progress. Unsatisfactory academic progress may result in withdrawal or dismissal. 

The above grading scale will be used for all courses in the PA Program. However, each instructor has the prerogative to set his/her raw score as long as it is published in the course syllabus. In all cases a grade below a “B” is considered unsatisfactory progress. 

GPA Calculation: Only UM-Flint PA program courses designated with PPA prefix, BIO 510, and PHS 552 will be entered in the GPA calculation.

II. Institutional Authority

Program faculty, acting on behalf of the University, have the responsibility of defining and upholding academic and professionalism standards of the PA Program. Faculty reserve the right to remove from the UM-Flint PA program any student whose academic or professional standing is regarded as unsatisfactory, as defined in Section III-General Academic Standards Policy. Academic Standards determinations are recommended by the PA Program faculty and communicated to the student through the Professional Standards and Progress Committee (PSPC). Student progress within the Program will be reviewed and monitored by the UM-Flint PA PSPC. The role of the PSPC is to recognize academic and professional achievement, to monitor, document, and make determinations regarding student progression in the program. It also advises on academic intervention in the case of academic and/or professional deficiencies. The PSPC reviews each student’s academic and professional performance regularly throughout the program- midway through the semester, at the conclusion of each semester, and more frequently if warranted. _(A3.14e)

III. General Academic Standards Policy

Students enrolled in the University of Michigan-Flint Department of Physician Assistant (UM-Flint PA Program) must maintain adherence to program standards of academic performance and professionalism.

Academic Standing: _(A3.14a)

A student in good academic standing: 

• Is making satisfactory progress toward the completion of degree requirements and is within the time limits of the degree program, including approved extensions
• Is demonstrating an ability to succeed in the PA Program
• Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater

Requirements for Progression _(A3.14a)

Due to the sequential nature of the curriculum, students must successfully complete all courses in a given semester before becoming eligible to take courses in the subsequent semester. Students must successfully complete all courses in the didactic phase before they may progress into the clinical phase of the program, including successful completion of an academic recovery plan prompted by a course failure during the final didactic phase semester. Students will be denied progression to the SCPEs if the PSPC determines that they have not made satisfactory academic progress in the didactic portion of their education. 

To qualify for progression at the end of each semester the student must:

1. Follow the approved course of study for that semester, satisfactorily completing all courses with a grade of “B” or better or “Incomplete” or having entered into an academic recovery plan for remediation of all failed component(s) of a course.
2. Maintain an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in all PA professionalism competencies.
4. Settle all financial accounts with the University.
5. Attend all events deemed as mandatory by the PA Program faculty which may include, but are not limited to: orientation, guest lectures, conferences, meetings, dinners, white coat ceremony, Grand Rounds and other activities.
6. For students enrolled in the Independent Study for PA students courses (PPA 55X or PPA 65X), satisfactorily completing all coursework with a grade of “B” or better.

Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) offered during the clinical phase of the program do not follow the semester calendar. Due to timing as well as complexity of evaluative measures incorporated, student performance is assessed at the completion of each SCPE to determine progression to the next SCPE.

Requirements for Graduation _(A3.14b)

To graduate from the UM-Flint PA Program and earn a Master of Science, Physician Assistant (UM-Flint PA program) degree, the student must:

• Successfully complete all course work according to program defined academic standards
• Achieve a minimum overall 3.0 GPA
• Successfully pass all components of the summative evaluation conducted in the final semester of the Program
• Demonstrate competency of Entrustable Professional Activities
• Submit a completed graduation application to the Office of the Registrar
• Be in good academic standing. In the event that a student is on academic probation as the student enters the final semester, the student must still have the required overall minimum GPA of 3.0
• Demonstrate professionalism expected of a student in the PA profession in accordance with the American Academy of Physician Assistants Code of Ethics
• Complete all requirements for graduation within 3 years of the date of matriculation
• Have no incomplete grades
• Have no financial or library obligation with the University of Michigan-Flint

Students should apply for graduation one term before all requirements for the UM-Flint PA program degree are complete. The graduation application is available through the Student Information System (SIS).

Length of Time for Completion of Courses _(A3.14a-d)

The UM-Flint MSPA Program is a full-time, 28-month, 7 semester program. The program is not offered on a part-time basis. When matriculating into the UM-Flint PA Program, the student will have a total of 3 years for completion of the program from the time of matriculation. The program is designed for the PA student to complete it in 28 months (7 semesters). Additional completion time up to 36 months is reserved for students who are granted a leave of absence at some point in the program, or for remedial purposes as determined by the PSPC. Students may request a leave of absence that the PSPC will grant or deny. If a leave is granted, a specific time frame for return to the PA program will be delineated. If deceleration into a different cohort is decided, the student timeline for completion is the same as that cohort.

One cohort of UM-Flint MSPA students is enrolled yearly. If an enrolled student steps out of the program during the didactic phase, re-entry into the program may need to be done with a subsequent cohort of students, depending on the length and timing of the leave. If a student steps out of training during the supervised clinical practice portion of the program, their re-entry will depend on the availability of remaining SCPEs that the student needs to complete.

Program Status _(A3.14c-f)

Deceleration _(A3.14d)

If an area of academic deficiency is larger than can be remediated prior to the next semester that would allow prescribed progression through the program, the PSPC may recommend deceleration of the student to a subsequent cohort. As a condition of deceleration, the student must be otherwise in good standing and show promise for success in the PA program as determined by the PSPC.

If the PSPC recommends student deceleration, the student must enroll in either PPA 55X or PPA 65X, successfully complete the course, and then re-enroll as a student in a subsequent PA program cohort at the recommended juncture approved by the PSPC. The criteria for academic progression and good standing will be reset for decelerated students after successful completion of PPA 55X or PPA 65X. The decelerated student will be required to take all subsequent PA Program courses with the new cohort and will be assessed tuition for all courses. The deceleration option is only available to the student upon PSPC recommendation.

PPA 55X and PPA 65X Independent Study for PA Students

These independent study courses are designed to support the PA student in the achievement of expected competencies and core academic and technical skills. The aim of the courses is to review foundational knowledge of PA program coursework and remediate areas of concern. These courses are designed for the PA student to demonstrate their readiness to continue in the didactic or clinical phase of the program. The student must earn a “B” or above in these courses to continue in the PA program. A grade below a “B” will result in dismissal from the PA program.

Leave of Absence

A student in good academic standing may request a leave of absence (no longer than 6 months) due to the occurrence of serious medical or personal issues, or pregnancy. Student absence from the program for longer than 6 months may result in student deceleration, withdrawal, or dismissal. Subsequently, the student may reapply for admission to the Program through the normal admissions process.

Students requesting a leave of absence must complete the Student Leave Request Form and submit it to the PA Program Director, who will forward the request to the PSPC. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the student must submit their request in advance of an absence from the program, and as soon as the anticipated leave is known. The PSPC will review the request and contact the student regarding disposition of the request. In the event of a medical problem or pregnancy, the request should be accompanied by a letter from the student’s healthcare provider stating the need for time away from the program and the estimated length of time of the student leave.

If the request for leave is deemed reasonable and appropriate for the circumstances, the PSPC may grant the leave and determine the conditions under which the student may return to the Program. The PSPC may, at their discretion, approve the leave, recommend deceleration, deny the leave, recommend student withdrawal from the program, or may recommend student dismissal from the Program. Disposition will be determined individually according to the merits of each case.

After the PSPC decision of the leave status has been made, the PSPC will send an official letter to the student indicating the disposition. A copy of the letter will be placed in the student’s Program file. The approval letter may include some or all the following elements:

1. Official start date of the leave of absence
2. Specifications of the terms of the leave, considering implications for resuming the curriculum (course requirements and sequencing issues)
3. Duration of the leave and anticipated return date
4. Method for demonstrating academic readiness upon return to the Program
5. Method for demonstrating ability to meet the Technical Standards upon return to the Program
6. Need to repeat criminal background check and/or urine drug screen prior to return (at the student’s expense)
7. Curriculum or policy revisions to which the student will be subject upon return to the Program
8. In cases where the leave of absence is for medical reasons, the student must also provide documentation from their healthcare provider verifying that the medical condition has resolved sufficient to return to studies and that the student is cleared to return to the rigor of the Program

Upon return to the Program after an approved leave, the student may be required to demonstrate clinical competencies (e.g., history, physical examination techniques, and surgical skills, interpersonal skills, and professionalism) and medical knowledge through practical and written examinations. If these are required, the student must receive a passing score on these examinations in order to advance in the program. 

Upon return to the PA program, the student will be subject to any revisions or additions to the Program curriculum, policies or procedures.

If the decision of Program deceleration is made, the student will be required to take all courses with the subsequent student cohort, participate fully in all program activities with that class, and assume the tuition cost for all coursework. Decelerated students will be required to enroll in the Independent Study for PA student courses (PPA 55X and 65X), as applicable, and satisfactorily complete all coursework with a grade of “B” or higher to continue in the program. A grade below a “B” in these courses will result in dismissal from the PA program.

Probation _(A3.14a)

Students are placed on academic probation for any semester in which their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.

• The student will be issued a warning in the semester a student is placed on probationary status. The student must have an academic recovery process approved and monitored by the course coordinator and student advisor in order to continue in the program. The student must demonstrate satisfactory performance on previously failed material in order to continue in the program. Such action may delay the student’s graduation date.
• If the student cannot achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of the semester they are on probation, the student will be dismissed from the program. _(A3.14f)
• During the probationary term, the student will not be awarded a graduate degree or certificate.

Suspension _(A3.14a)

If a situation or action has occurred or is predicted to occur in the didactic or clinical phase of the program that would jeopardize the status or wellbeing of the student, other students, faculty, the Program, patients or clinical affiliates, the Program/Program director may immediately suspend a student from any or all PA course(s) or SCPE for a period of 48 hours (excluding weekends). If a good faith attempt at investigation and resolution by the Program/Program director with the PSPC and UM-Flint administration cannot be reached within that time, the Program/Program director may extend that suspension, if necessary, until appropriate investigation and resolution can be reached. The student may be prohibited from attending class, SCPE, or any other Program activity until the matter is resolved.

Program Dismissal  _(A3.14f)

Dismissal from the program for academic reasons will occur in the event of any of the following:

• Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 for more than one semester will be dismissed from the program. 
• A student earning more than one course grade below “B” in the didactic phase of the program will be dismissed from the program. 
• A student earning more than one course grade below “B” in the clinical phase of the program will be dismissed from the program. 
• A student earning a course grade below “C” during any phase of the program will be dismissed from the program.
• A student earning a course grade below “B” in either of the independent study courses (PPA 55X or PPA 65X) will be dismissed from the program.

If the PSPC recommends, in accordance with program policy, that a student be dismissed for not meeting published academic standards, the student will be notified as such within 48 hours of the decision (excluding weekends) explaining the grounds for dismissal. The PSPC decision of UM-Flint PA program dismissal due to academic reasons in accordance with this policy is final. Please see Student  Appeals Process for details. Removal from the UM-Flint PA program does not imply or intend dismissal from the College of Health Sciences (CHS) or from the University of Michigan-Flint.

Note: certain time constraints, outlined in the schedule of classes published by the University, apply to students requesting a withdrawal on their transcript. https://www.umflint.edu/registrar/ 

Withdrawal from the Program _(A3.14e)

• Students are permitted to withdraw from the program at any time. 
• Should a student drop any program-required course in any one semester, that student will be considered as withdrawing from the program. 
• Since withdrawal from a course affects a student’s academic progress, the Professional Standards and Progression Committee will review such actions.
• Unofficial withdrawal from one or more courses in the curriculum will be considered as student failure, and the student may be dismissed from the program.
• Other than instances involving student deceleration, any student who withdraws or is dismissed from the program must follow the stated application procedures to be considered for re-admission. Applicants for re-admission are evaluated once annually along with new applicants. Prior enrollment in the UM-Flint PA program does not imply or guarantee acceptance upon re-application.
• Withdrawal from the PA Program does not imply withdrawal from UM-Flint. To officially withdraw from the University, information is located Consumer Information. Follow the withdrawal procedures: The Registrar sets and publishes refund dates each term. Students drop themselves from all registered courses within SIS. 

Withdrawal from the University  _(A3.14e5d)

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a B (3.0 on a 4.0-point scale), who is not making satisfactory progress toward the degree, or who is failing to demonstrate an ability to succeed in his or her plan of studies, may be; denied permission to register, required to withdraw, or be dismissed from the program.

To withdraw from the University of Michigan-Flint, graduate students must:

• Contact their academic advisor and the Office of Financial Aid: To understand the consequences of withdrawing and to get help with the withdrawal process
• Notify the Office of the Registrar: Submit a written notice of withdrawal by the last day of classes
• Follow the withdrawal procedures: The Registrar sets and publishes refund dates each term. Students drop themselves from all registered courses within SIS.
• Students who withdraw from all classes after the drop/add period will receive a “withdrawal” notation/W grade on their transcript and a “W” grade for all courses. They will not receive credits toward their degree program or honor points for the “W” grades.
• The amount of tuition due depends on the academic calendaracademictuition calendar set by the Office of the Registrar. Students who withdraw from all classes may have a monetary adjustment to their student account. Refer to the academic calendar for specific dates and times that will help determine what the monetary adjustment may be to the student account. or stop attending before completing more than 60% of the semester may need to repay some or all of their financial aid.
• Students with a U-M issued F-1 or J-1 visa should contact an advisor at the International Center to understand how a withdrawal may affect their visa status.

Remediation _(A3.14c)

Student progress is monitored and documented during the didactic and clinical phases of the UM-Flint PA program by course coordinators and student advisors in a manner that promptly identifies deficiencies in knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors and establishes means for remediation.

If a student fails a must-pass assessment or must-pass assignment in a course, the student will undergo a remediation plan dictated by the course coordinator in order to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and to demonstrate competency in the deficient material. The PSPC and student advisor will be informed of the student’s need for academic remediation by the course coordinator. The academic remediation plan may include meeting with the course coordinator, student advisor, program learning specialist, or other services available through UM-Flint at the discretion of the course coordinator. The plan and follow-up will be discussed with the PSPC and documented in the student’s file. At the end of each semester, the PSPC will review the progress of each student to allow progression to the next semester if performance is satisfactory. Please refer to each PA program course syllabus for further details regarding specific remediation requirements and procedures.

Remediation activities may consist of activities as described in the following sections of this document. PSPC remediation plans may include repeating a course or SCPE or completing an additional SCPE. Formal remediation activities are documented and maintained within the Program in the student’s file.

Remediation within a Course (Failed exam/assignment/course component)

• In all course work, any course coordinator may request that a student remediate work of less than minimal competency in a content area. Minimal competency is defined as a failing grade on any course assessment as defined in the syllabus. 
• In the event that remediation is necessary and an option, the course coordinator will give the student a remediation plan. The student may accept, decline or request modification subject to course coordinator approval of the remediation plan. 
• Within a course, the course coordinator may use several evaluation tools to determine a course grade. Within this framework, a student may obtain a sub-optimal evaluation in certain content areas, but still meet the minimum competency defined by the Program. In such a circumstance, the course coordinator may request the specific content area be remediated. 
• If remediation is permitted within a course in accordance with the syllabus, a student receiving a failing grade in a course component may remediate the identified area(s) of deficiency. The specific remediation plan developed is at the discretion of the course coordinator and may include but is not limited to:
  • Reading assignments.
  • Written completion of selected course learning objectives with reference citations.
  • Written response to selected exam items with reference citations.
  • Problem-based learning exercises focused on area(s) of weakness.
  • Written self-reflection exercise.
  • Individual faculty-led tutoring (especially skills related deficiencies).
• Students will be reassessed after completion of the outlined remediation plan with an emphasis on areas of poor performance. The assessment activity may vary depending on the nature of deficiency and degree of remediation necessary. Reassessment may include a written or skills/procedural assessment depending on the nature of the failed course component.
• A successful remediation plan will include:
  • Composition/nature of reassessment and the student performance required for successful remediation of material.
  • Date in which assigned activities are due.
  • The responsible course coordinator or faculty member must document remediation efforts and outcomes in the student’s file.
• While there is no limit to the amount of effort applied toward mastery of the content area, remediation work should not increase the grade for that content area above minimal competency.

Remediation of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) _(A3.14c)

Given the nature and complexity of educational activities on SCPEs, a comprehensive, multifaceted process for evaluating student progress has been designed. The components each serve to assess different skills acquired by a student during clinical training. These constituent parts are combined to formulate the final SCPE grade:

• PAEA End of Rotation Exam
• Clinical Performance Evaluation (CPE)
• Clinical Phase Assignments 

A student must earn at least an overall grade of “B” and successfully pass each assessment component in order to pass the SCPE course. Each SCPE course must be successfully completed in order to progress to the next. If the student’s SCPE course grade is less than a “B” or any of the assessment components are not successfully completed, the student may need to repeat the SCPE course or remediate failed components as directed by the Associate Director of Clinical Education.

The goal of a remedial activity as discussed below will be to address the educational deficiencies of that particular component and assist the student in focused improvement.

IV. Appeals Process _(A3.14h)

Definitions

• Academic Rights
  Academic rights appeals are related to faculty, committee, or administrative determinations of learning related performance in one or more courses. Such determinations include grades, class standing, and matriculation toward a degree, academic integrity and clinical performance. Any appeal must be based on evidence that a factual or procedural error was made or that some significant piece of information was overlooked.
• Non-academic Rights
  Non-academic rights are those defined by the University in its Student Rights Policy and include but are not limited to violations of ethical conduct and right to privacy, claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, and inappropriate access to student records (https://www.umflint.edu/ecrt/ )

Student Appeal of Adverse Action

The Physician Assistant Department recognizes due process and the rights of a student to appeal Program decisions and actions affecting student progress within the Program. 

Grounds for appeals are: 

1. Appeals related to academic rights defined as the PA Department, the PA Program, or the PA faculty and Course Coordinator decisions which impact directly on the student’s academic standing and progression. Academic rights appeals are related to faculty, instructors, and committees or administrative determinations of learning related performance. Such determinations include grade discrepancy and academic integrity. 
2. The application of non-academic criteria in the grading process, as listed in the university’s non-discrimination/affirmative action statute: race, color, sex (including gender identity), national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, height, weight, disability, or veteran status; 

The PSPC will not consider the following: 

1. Appeals related to non-academic rights. Non-academic rights are those defined by the University in its (current) Student Rights Policy and include but are not limited to violations of ethical conduct and right to privacy, claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, and inappropriate access to student records. The University has an established process for students to follow by which non-academic rights grievances are addressed. If the student appeals an adverse action due to non-academic rights: the application of non-academic criteria in the grading process, as listed in the university’s non-discrimination/affirmative action statute: race, color, sex (including gender identity), national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, height, weight, disability, or veteran status; and, sexual harassment or discrimination (https://spg.umich.edu/policy/201.89-1), the appeal will be handled through University processes outside of the PA Program and the College of Health Sciences. The University has an established process for students to follow by which non-academic rights grievances are addressed and can be found at:  https://www.umflint.edu/ecrt/file-a-report/
2. Appeals related to academic and non-academic rights: Cases of appeals involving both non-academic and academic issues will be referred to the University-wide student grievance procedure, as described in the University of Michigan-Flint Student Rights Policy. The appeal must be addressed in writing at each level of appeal and must be presented in the following prescribed sequence to the appropriate staff. An appeal does not guarantee a change in the decision. 

See Policy S15 (Student Right, Harassment and Grievances) for more information.

Course Grade Appeal Process

Student and Course Coordinator

Students shall seek to resolve academic issues directly with the Course Coordinator via email, face-to-face meeting or telephone within 5 business days of receiving notice of a failing grade. The student has the right to appeal a failing grade to the PSPC only if the evaluation of student work was judged by criteria not directly reflective of performance relative to course requirements.

PSPC Decision / Appeal Process

The UM-Flint PA Department recognizes due process and the rights of a student to appeal Program decisions and actions affecting student progress within the Program. A student who disputes the PSPC action, decision, or assigned sanctions regarding academic standing has five business days to submit a written request for review by the PA Program Director. The letter or email must include a written statement and evidence to support their case. The PA Program Director can request additional information from the student to make a determination of disposition. The PA Program Director has the authority to either deny or support the student’s appeal. Within 5 business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal, the PA Program Director will provide a copy of their decision letter to the student and the PSPC Chair. 

If the student disputes the PA Program Director’s decision regarding academic standing, they may initiate an appeal to the UM-Flint College of Health Sciences Student Appeals Committee. The purpose of the Student Appeals Committee is to provide an avenue for appeal for any student covered under this policy, who feels that they have been unfairly treated and express a perceived need for alteration of a CHS departmental action. The Student Appeals Committee will hear appeals related to CHS Departments, programs, or faculty decisions which impact directly on the student’s academic standing and progression. The decision of the UM-Flint College of Health Sciences Student Appeals Committee is final. 

The UM-Flint College of Health Sciences Student Appeals Committee will hear appeals related to academic standing only when the appeal does not involve an issue of sexual harassment or discrimination and harassment  (https://catalog.umflint.edu/content.php?catoid=32&navoid=3616 ), as defined by the University of Michigan-Flint Student Rights Policy. Issues and appeals of academic standing which involve harassment or discrimination must be heard through the University-wide process, as described in the Student Rights Policy

Details of the Student Appeals Committee appeal process can be found on the  UM-Flint College of Health Sciences intranet site under Committees.

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Approval History

• 12/15/2025: Program Faculty
• 11/18/2024: Program Faculty
• 11/08/2023: Program Faculty
• 05/18/2022: Program Faculty

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