Student Handbook
Student Services 45
e) Appeal process If a student wishes to appeal the decision of the Student Services Committee, the student must submit a signed, written notice of appeal to the Vice President of Enrollment Management - Kentucky Campus or the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management - Florida Dunnam Campus within ten (10) business days after the committee mails its decision to the student by U.S. Postal Service and/or SPO. The Discipline and Appeals Committee will meet with the student to hear the appeal in a timely manner. The student may bring a supportive observer into the meeting who may advise the student but may not actively participate in the meeting. This meeting is closed to all other individuals, including attorneys. The Discipline and Appeals Committee will hear from other involved individuals as deemed necessary and will make a decision within ten (10) business days of hearing the case, absent extenuating circumstances. The Discipline and Appeals Committee’s decision shall be final and will be communicated to the student via U.S. Postal Service and/or SPO. The campus-specific director will have a follow up meeting with the student within five (5) business days of the letter being sent to the student against whom a grievance is made. f)
Grievance Records All occurrences submitted to the Discipline and Appeals Committee will be added to the student’s official record and be kept in the Office of the Registrar. A copy of the grievance and restoration record may be kept in the Office of Student Services, dependent upon which campus the student resides.
Discontinuance Policy Discontinuance, in contrast to dismissal, does not imply an infringement of moral, ethical or ethos standards. Students may be discontinued for either academic reasons or demonstrated behavior that affects or is likely to affect the health, safety or welfare of the Seminary community. In the case of academic discontinuance, students on probationary status for two consecutive semesters are normally discontinued and must be discontinued after three consecutive semesters. All academic discontinuance cases will be processed through the Office of the Provost. Students who are discontinued for academic reasons cannot be considered for readmission until at least three semesters have elapsed after the discontinuance. Behavioral discontinuance may apply either to a student’s eligibility to remain in student housing or to the student’s eligibility to remain enrolled in the Seminary altogether. In cases of behavioral discontinuance, the Seminary’s Discipline and Appeals Committee will first conduct an individualized assessment of the situation and the behavior at issue, examining all relevant factors and incorporating the objective evidence and, where applicable, the medical advice available. Relevant factors may include but are not limited to the effects of the behavior on other students, employees and the Seminary community; the behavior’s impact on academic, residential and extracurricular activities; Seminary policy; and whether there are support measures or other accommodations that would adequately manage the risks at issue. A student may be discontinued to the extent appropriate if, after conducting this individualized assessment, the Discipline and Appeals Committee determines the health, safety and/or welfare concerns raised by the student’s behavior rise to a level where, as the case may be, the student is no longer qualified to remain either a resident in Seminary housing or enrolled at the Seminary altogether. When behavioral discontinuance is deemed appropriate, the Discipline and Appeals Committee may first attempt to reach a voluntary resolution of the situation with the student. The Discipline and Appeals Committee will, at the time of a behavioral discontinuance, set any terms and conditions for readmission to the Seminary or reentry to Seminary housing that may be appropriate, such as setting a number of semesters that must elapse or requiring compliance with and/or successful completion of a treatment plan before applying for readmission or reentry. Prior to imposing behavioral discontinuance, the Discipline and Appeals Committee will inform the student in writing of the possibility of discontinuance, the kind(s) of discontinuance that may be imposed, the grounds for potential discontinuance and the evidence supporting it, and give the student at least 10 business days to respond in writing. The Discipline and Appeals Committee may also meet with the student to discuss the matter. The Discipline and Appeals Committee will work to resolve a behavioral discontinuance matter within 30 calendar days of when the matter is referred to it, and will advise a student when time beyond 30 days is needed.
