About the school

Academic Standards Committee

Academic standards policies in the School of Social Work include those related to classroom performance and attendance, as well as ethical and professional conduct.

I. The School of Social Work Academic Standards Committee has the responsibility for:

  1. Reviewing requests for grade reviews (grade appeals [PDF]) filed by students and conducting grade appeal hearings as necessary.
  2. Reviewing requests for readmission from students who have been terminated from the program, making recommendations, and determining readmission requirements in consultation with the appropriate program director.
  3. Reviewing formal charges of violations of professional or ethical conduct lodged against a student.
  4. Periodically reviewing and recommending academic standards policy changes to the School Assembly.

II. The committee will consist of:

  1. Six faculty members; three of whom will serve as alternates for any given grade review (appeal) or student review, and one of whom will be designated to chair the committee; faculty members must have had full-time faculty appointments at VCU for at least three years. The six faculty members must include at least two who have recently taught in the B.S.W. program, at least two who have recently taught in the M.S.W. program, one who has recently served on the Doctoral Program Committee, and one who has recently been a field liaison; to the extent possible, the composition of the committee will consist of faculty who teach in the various content areas of the curriculum. These categories are not meant to be mutually exclusive, therefore one committee member may fulfill more than one of the composition requirements.
  2. Two B.S.W., two M.S.W., and two Ph.D. student representatives who will only serve in instances of a grade review (appeal); of these six students, four will serve as alternates on any given review (appeal).
  3. In exceptional circumstances, and with consultation from the chairperson of the Academic Standards Committee, the dean may appoint additional faculty or students to serve on a particular grade review (appeal).
  4. All members will be appointed by the dean.

III. Terms of Office of the Academic Standards Committee

  1. Faculty, including alternates, will serve for two consecutive years.
  2. Faculty appointments to the committee will be staggered, so that three of the six members will carry over one year to the next.
  3. Students will serve for one year.

IV. The Academic Standards Committee will meet:

  1. During the Fall and Spring terms to review readmission requests, to conduct non-grade related performance reviews and to conduct grade reviews (appeals).
  2. Requests for Spring and Summer grade reviews (appeals) are considered at the start of the Fall semester; Fall grade review requests (appeals) are considered at the start of the Spring semester.
  3. At least once each academic year to review the activities and to determine if there are changes needed in policies or procedures.