Academic Policies and Procedures

Handbook Home

Program-Specific Handbooks

Other Academic Policies & Procedures for the CAHP

Academic Integrity

In order to assure an understanding between students, faculty, and staff concerning what types of activity constitute violations of academic integrity, several definitions and examples have been detailed in the UNMC Student Handbook.

Attendance at Classes and Clerkships

Specific policies and procedures regarding attendance are determined by the individual programs in the College of Allied Health Professions, and are available for review in the program-specific pages.

Clinical Education Experiences

Practical experience in various settings is an important component of the programs in the CAHP. Such hands-on experiences provide a unique form of learning and contribute to professional development.

Clinical experiences provided for students must adhere to guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, to encourage learning through practical experience, CAHP programs will follow the guidelines listed below.

Guidelines

1. Specific, definable educational objectives will be provided for students regarding practical experiences related to their discipline. Evaluations of performance will be based on the objectives, with methods determined by the individual program.
2. Students may be assigned tasks that would otherwise be performed by professional staff members, but, in all cases, the purpose of such assignments shall be education, i.e., developing mastery of techniques and reinforcing knowledge.
3. Reinforcement by repetition may be desirable and is encouraged.
4. Supervisors in all practical experience rotations will be informed of the U.S. Department of Labor Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act. (See Minimum Wage Ruling below.) All criteria specified must be met to assure that students are not employees as defined by the Act.

Minimum Wage Ruling

The U.S. Department of Labor publication entitled Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, dated February 1973, states the following under the heading Trainees:

The Supreme Court has held that the words “to suffer or permit to work,” as used in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to define “employ,” do not make all persons employees who, without any express or implied compensation agreement, work for their own advantage on the premises of another. Whether trainees or students are employees of an employer under the FLSA will depend upon all of the circumstances surrounding their activities on the premises of the employer. If all of the following criteria apply, the trainees or students are not employees within the meaning of the Act:

1. The training, even though it includes the actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in a vocational College;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees or students;
3. The trainees or students do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation;
4. The employer that provides the training receives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees or students and, on occasion, his operations may actually be impeded;
5. The trainees or students are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period; and
6. The employer and the trainees or students understand that the trainees or students are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid

Federal law requires that institutions participating in federal financial aid programs establish standards of “satisfactory progress” for receiving federal financial aid eligibility. These standards have been created for the University of Nebraska Medical Center for students enrolled full-time and can be reviewed in the UNMC Student Handbook.

In addition to those standards, the College of Allied Health Professions has defined Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid for students enrolled part-time, which meets the federal requirement and also provides a consistent policy for equitable distribution of limited financial aid resources.

Measurable satisfactory progress for part-time students

Students admitted to a degree/certificate program who are enrolled less than full-time, but at least half-time at the start of an academic year (6-11 hours in professional/undergraduate programs and 5-8 hours in graduate programs) must, each academic year:

• Maintain the same GPA standard as full-time students.
• Successfully complete all course work for which registered each academic year or, if applicable, progress to the next grade level in their degree/certificate program.

Students not meeting these standards who are approved for continued enrollment shall be placed on financial aid probation, but must fulfill these standards by the end of the next academic year of enrollment. In addition, if applicable, part-time students must progress one grade level in their degree/certificate program after every two academic years. Students not meeting these standards shall be suspended from financial aid eligibility unless an extension is approved due to mitigating circumstances.

Additionally, a student, full-time or part-time, who at any time is placed on academic probation or is suspended by the College or program, regardless of the above standards, is automatically placed on financial aid probation or suspended from financial aid eligibility.

Appeal and reinstatement of financial aid eligibility

Students wishing to appeal their status of financial aid probation or suspension may do so, in writing, to the Financial Aid Office using the outlined procedure in the UNMC Student Handbook

Retention of Evaluation Materials

Materials used in the Academic Evaluation of Students must be retained in accordance with the policy set by the University of Nebraska. That policy can be reviewed in the UNMC Student Handbook

Students Called to Active Duty in Military Service

The policy regarding all University of Nebraska students that may be called to active duty is outlined in the UNMC Student Handbook.

Student Discipline

Each student in the College of Allied Health Professions shall be afforded due process in matters relating to student discipline. Each program director holds primary responsibility for student discipline. The CAHP is part of an educational institution in which there is an atmosphere of learning, as well as a sense of community. The College prides itself upon the principles of academic integrity, self-respect, and individual responsibility.

Students enrolled in the CAHP assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with these principles. Those who choose not to do so may be subject to disciplinary action by individuals or duly constituted groups within the College. Examples of misconduct for which students are subject to disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Dishonesty in any form, such as cheating, academic misconduct, fabrication, plagiarism, misuse of identification cards and furnishing false information to the College or college.
2. Obstruction or disruption of any academic, social or administrative activity.
3. Threats, physical harm, or verbal abuse of any person on institutional property or at institutional-sponsored activities.
4. Theft of or damage to property of the institution.
5. Unauthorized entry into UNMC facilities.
6. Violation of rules governing institution facilities.
7. Use, possession, sale or distribution of narcotics or abusive drugs or stimulants.
8. Drunkenness, or use, possession, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages on institution property.
9. Gambling on institution property.
10. Unauthorized possession or use on campus of explosives or firearms.
11. Failure to comply with the directions of institution officials acting in the performance of their duties.

For detailed information on student disciplinary procedures, refer to the UNMC Student Handbook. Specific program policies on academic dismissal and other student discipline may be found in the program-specific sections.