The College of IST Graduate Student Termination Policy is derived from the Fox Graduate Education Policies.
This policy pertains to Ph.D., M.S., M.P.S., and I.U.G. students.
Students may be terminated from the graduate program in the College of IST for unsatisfactory scholarship, which includes not meeting academic standards, such as but not limited to minimum required grade-point average or grades in required courses for the program as well as violating ethical, moral and professional standards. A violation of these standards may result in academic sanctions including suspension or dismissal by the graduate program in which the student is enrolled, from that academic program, and/or by the Fox Graduate School from continued or future enrollment in any graduate program at the University.
Examples of unsatisfactory scholarship may include, but are not limited to
- Behavior which demonstrates a failure to exhibit acceptable ethical, moral, and professional standards
- Violations of the academic integrity policy or other university policies
- Inadequate grade-point average
- Failure to obtain satisfactory grades in required courses for the program
- Failure to make satisfactory progress in research or other activities related to the culminating experience
- Failing the qualifying, comprehensive, or final oral examination for doctoral students
Behaviors which violate the Student Code of Conduct will result in a referral to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. Once the Office of Student Conduct completes their review of the matter, the program will proceed with their review and determine appropriate academic sanctions.
The termination process may be initiated by the student’s adviser, the student’s M.S. or Ph.D. (thesis or dissertation) committee, the student’s research or teaching supervisor, the Director of the College’s graduate programs, or the Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC) for the college.
When one of these entities determines that the program of a graduate student must be terminated, a letter describing the need for termination will be sent to the Director of Doctoral/Masters Programs. The termination recommendation will be reviewed by the Director of Doctoral/Masters Program(s), and with concurrence, the student will be notified by the Director of Doctoral/Masters Program(s) that the termination process has been initiated.
This termination recommendation then will be reviewed by the Graduate Advisory Committee. If approved by the GAC, the student will receive a letter from the Director of Doctoral/Masters Program(s) indicating the reason for the termination and the date the termination will be effective, along with any other necessary information regarding the student’s status.
Upon receipt of this notice, the student can seek a review of the decision per Appendix III of the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin. If the student desires such a review, the student must, within ten days of receipt of the notice, submit a written appeal to the Graduate Program Head of the college. The Graduate Program Head then provides an opportunity for the student to meet with the faculty member(s) who made the decision to terminate the student's program, including the members of the Graduate Advisory Committee. This meeting must be held within 30 days of receipt of the student's written appeal.
Following this meeting, the Graduate Program Head must notify the student within five days, in writing, whether the termination decision has been sustained or reversed. If it is sustained, the program head shall notify the student in writing, providing the reasons for the termination, the evidence upon which the termination decision was sustained and notice of the right to appeal in writing to the Fox Graduate School. The program head will also notify the Fox Graduate School of the decision.
Termination will be effective at the end of the semester in which the final decision is made, unless circumstances warrant immediate termination from the program.
If the termination is based upon failure to exhibit and promote the highest ethical, moral, and professional standards expected of graduate students, the Fox Graduate School may also make a determination to dismiss the student from continued or future enrollment in any graduate program at the University.
Approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee 02/2017
Revised by Graduate Advisory Committee 04/2025
Approved by Andrea Tapia, dean 04/2025