Procedure for Implementing Code of Conduct

FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE VETERINARY MEDICAL AND THE VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY CURRICULA

Any Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine student or faculty member may question the ability of a currently enrolled PUCVM student to meet the standards set forth in the Code of Conduct for Participation in the Veterinary Medical and the Veterinary Technology Curricula.  In order to question such a student's ability, the PUCVM student or faculty member must have personal knowledge of the factual basis for questioning the ability of a PUCVM student to meet these standards.

The person questioning the student's ability to meet these standards shall reduce their observation or allegations to writing and shall sign such statement or allegation.  The written statement shall state the name(s) of all persons involved in the questioned activity, make a direct statement describing the activity or clearly set forth the allegation.  The written statement shall further describe any actions taken to mitigate the action or prevent its recurrence.  The statement described shall be delivered to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested.  The author(s) of the statement shall be available for questioning by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or a Review Board if one is impaneled pursuant to the procedures described in this document.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall, by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested, provide the student with a copy of the statement, arrange a personal meeting with the student.  The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall conduct whatever investigation is deemed to be appropriate; in any event the student and the person(s) making the statement shall be given the opportunity to discuss the matter with the Associate Dean.  The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall make a written record of the investigation conducted pursuant to these procedures.  All records generated pursuant to these procedures shall be deemed "student records" and shall be treated and maintained accordingly (i.e., in accordance with the requirements of FERPA).  Such records shall be maintained for a period of at least three years after the last record generated pursuant to these procedures.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall, within five working days after meeting with the student, arrive at a recommendation.  A copy of the recommendation shall be provided to both the Dean of the School and the student.  The student's copy shall be delivered by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested.  The Associate Dean's recommendation may take one of four forms:

1. The facts, as determined during the investigation by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, do not establish the need for discipline pursuant to these procedures.
2. The facts, as determined during the investigation by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, warrant the issuance of a written reprimand. Said reprimand shall recite the student's inappropriate behavior.  Such a written reprimand may form the basis for a more severe sanction in future investigations pursuant to this policy.
3. The facts, as determined during the investigation by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, warrant placing the student on probation for one full semester or its equivalent. Such probation, if repeated in two continuous semesters or any three semesters, shall result in the student being dropped from the degree program.
4. Convene a board to review the record and to make final recommendations to the Dean.

Upon receipt of the recommendations of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Dean may:

1. Adopt the recommendation;
2. Substitute a lesser sanction pursuant to paragraph F. 1-3 of this procedure; or
3. Convene a Review Board.

The Dean's Determination

1. The Dean's determination of these procedures shall be in writing. The student shall be provided with a copy of the Dean's determination by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested, within ten working days of receipt of the recommendation of the Associate Dean.
2. The student may appeal the Dean's determination. All appeals shall be in writing and directed to the Dean.  The written appeal must be received by the Dean within ten days of notification of any adverse determination.  If the appeal is based upon interpretation of facts, the student may request that a Review Board be convened.

Review Board Procedure

Should a review board be convened, it shall be structured and function as follows:

1. Within ten days of the event triggering convening of the Review Board, the Dean shall appoint a department head or director of the College of Veterinary Medicine who shall serve as the chairperson of the Review Board. The Dean shall appoint four additional members; two shall be full time students of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
2. The Review Board shall review evidence accumulated prior to its establishment. It shall then set a hearing date within ten working days of its designated beginning.  The student shall be notified of the date, time and location of the hearing by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested.  Both the person initiating the allegation of unacceptable behavior and the student must attend the hearing in person.  Each may have a single advisor of his/her choice.  Both the student and the person questioning the student's ability may be represented at the hearing by an attorney.  The Chair of the Review Board shall be notified of any such representation at least five working days prior to the hearing.  During the review, either side may call witnesses on their behalf, but these witnesses may be present only while they are presenting testimony.  Judicial rules of evidence will not be binding on the hearing.  Both sides must be allowed a minimum of one major presentation and no less than one major and one minor rebuttal with one summary in which the student shall present the last summary.  Following all testimony, the panel shall meet in a closed session and consider the evidence.  They may adjourn for no more than five working days to extend their investigation.  Within five working days of the hearing, they shall submit their findings and their conclusion to the Dean.  The conclusion of the review Board must be one of the following.
   • The facts, as determined during the Review Board process, do not establish the need for discipline pursuant to these procedures.
   • The facts, as determined during the Review Board process, warrant the issuance of a written reprimand. Said reprimand shall recite the student's inappropriate behavior.  Such a written reprimand may form the basis for a more severe sanction in future investigations pursuant to this policy.
3. The facts, as determined during the review board process, warrant placing the student on probation for one full semester or its equivalent. Such probation, if repeated in two continuous semesters or any three semesters, shall result in the student being dropped from the degree program.
4. The facts, as determined during the Review Board process, warrant dropping the student from the degree program.

Within ten working days after receipt of an appeal of the Dean's determination pursuant to these procedures or of receipt of the recommendations of the Review Board, the Dean shall inform the student of the decision by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested.  It is within the discretion of the Dean to reduce the penalty recommended, but the Dean may not increase the imposed penalty to a degree more severe than that recommended by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the case of an appeal or by the Review Board.

Subsequent review shall be in accordance with Regulations Governing Student Conduct, Disciplinary Procedures and Appeals.