Academic Appeals Process

The procedure to appeal the decisions of APRC is outlined below:

1. When APRC recommends a student for dismissal, it will communicate the recommendation to the student by letter, delivered to the student's official SGU email address, within 72 hours after the APRC meeting. The email will describe the reason for the recommendation, detail the student's options to appeal or withdraw and specify the timeframe to do this.
2. The student can withdraw from the SVM within five (5) calendar days of the recommendation of dismissal or appeal the decision, which must be received by the date and time designated in the APRC letter recommending the dismissal.
3. The appeal form must be submitted electronically to the SVM Appeals Panel. The student is not required to appear or be present before the SVM Appeals Panel (AP).
4. The appeal form must be completed and submitted by the stipulated deadline, along with official documentation supporting the extenuating circumstances described in the appeal. The student should explain any extraordinary circumstances beyond the student's control that caused or contributed to his/her poor performance. A remedial plan should accompany the form. The submission will be automatically directed to the APRC administrative assistant. Once the time to submit the appeal has ended, the APRC administrative assistant will generate a comprehensive report providing all appeal information for each student in preparation for the SVM AP review. Should a student fail to submit his/her appeal by the stipulated deadline, there is no guarantee that the appeal will be reviewed.  While preparing their appeals and considering what supporting documents to include, students should bear in mind that there is only one (1) opportunity to appeal a recommendation for dismissal. Extensions to the appeal deadline will not be granted, nor will additional appeals.
5. For a Spring term, the SVM AP will meet within ten (10) calendar days after the APRC meeting, and for a Fall term, the SVM AP will meet two (2) weeks before the beginning of classes in the following term. After reviewing the case, the SVM AP will communicate its recommendation to the Dean of the SVM.
6. If the student's appeal is successful, the AP will determine the conditions a student must meet to progress in the DVM program. A letter will be issued to the student by the Dean of the SVM detailing the conditions as specified by the SVM AP. The student must respond to this communication within five (5) calendar days to indicate his or her acceptance of the conditions. A student who does not accept the SVM AP conditions has the option to withdraw from the DVM program within a specified timeframe. If a student does not accept the SVM AP conditions and does not withdraw within the specified timeframe, the student will be dismissed.
7. Students who are retained after a successful appeal of a recommended dismissal are placed on a Period of Academic Focus (PAF). Students on PAF are assessed, supported, and monitored by the AAT. They will be mandated to meet regularly with their assigned AAT advisor, who will assess and monitor their progress and make referrals to relevant support services.
8. The APRC reviews students on a PAF each term. Students will remain on PAF for the duration of the DVM Program.
9. If a student's appeal is unsuccessful, the letter to the student with a rejected appeal will allow the student to withdraw from the DVM program within a specified timeframe. If the student does not withdraw within the specified timeframe, the Dean of the SVM will issue a Letter of Dismissal, which will be noted on the student's transcripts. Students will be informed within 48 hours via email.
10. If neither of these options (withdraw or appeal) is chosen, the Dean of the SVM will dismiss the student and transmit that decision in writing to the student, with a copy to the Dean of Students (DOS) and the Office of the University Registrar. The SVM has no other further mechanism for appeal.
11. Students who choose to withdraw will have their status changed to "Withdrawn" by the Office of the University Registrar.
12. There is no appeal from placement on Monitored Academic Status (MAS) or on Period of Academic Focus (PAF).