Probation, Conduct and Grievances

Academic Probation

When a student’s cumulative graduate GPA falls below B (3.0) for grades earned in courses numbered 500 and above taken at Stony Brook, the student shall be placed on probation.

• If the student’s overall GPA has been raised to B (3.0) by the end of the next semester of enrollment after being first notified of probation, the student will be returned to regular status.
• Students may be on probation for a maximum of two semesters.
• A student on academic probation who fails to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA by the end of the second semester on probation will usually not be permitted to re-enroll.
• A student who has changed a registered area of graduate studies may, upon the request of the new program, have their record treated as two separate records. The GPA for the new area of graduate studies may be calculated from the beginning of the semester in which the change became effective
• A student enrolled part time who has accumulated six semester credits with a cumulative average below 3.0 will have two semesters, or six additional credits (whichever comes first) to bring their cumulative GPA to 3.0.
• Temporary grades (I and NR), missing grades and those grades for which no numerical equivalents are defined (P, S, U, and R) are not calculated in determining the eligibility for academic probation.

Programs may have additional requirements as specified in program literature. Failure to meet these requirements may result in academic probation.

Standards of Academic Conduct

The University expects all students to cooperate in developing and maintaining high standards of scholarship and conduct. Graduate students come under rules and regulations outlined in the Grievances and Appeals section of the online Catalog.

Students are expected to meet academic requirements outlined in this Bulletin and financial obligations as specified in Financial and Residential Information in order to remain in good standing. Certain non-academic rules and regulations must also be observed. The University wishes to emphasize the policy that all students are subject to the rules and regulations of the University currently in effect, or which, from time to time, are put into effect by appropriate authorities. Students, in accepting admission, indicate their willingness to subscribe to, and be governed by, these rules and regulations. They also acknowledge the right of the University to take such disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion, as may be deemed appropriate. University authorities will take action in accordance with due process. For detailed information about the University’s Conduct Code and Maintenance of Public Order, visit:

http://studentaffairs.stonybrook.edu/stu/policies.html

Academic Honesty and Scholarly Misconduct

The University expects all students to cooperate in developing and maintaining high standards of scholarship and conduct. Graduate students come under rules and regulations outlined in the Grievances and Appeals section of the Catalog.

Students are expected to meet academic requirements outlined in this Catalog and financial obligations as specified in Financial and Residential Information in order to remain in good standing. Certain non-academic rules and regulations must also be observed. The University wishes to emphasize that all students are subject to the rules and regulations of the University currently in effect, or which, from time to time, are put into effect by appropriate authorities. Students, in accepting admission, indicate their willingness to subscribe to, and be governed by, these rules and regulations. They also acknowledge the right of the University to take such disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion, as may be deemed appropriate. University authorities will take action in accordance with due process.

Intellectual honesty is the cornerstone of all academic and scholarly work. Therefore, the University views any form of academic or scholarly dishonesty as a serious matter. Instructors are required to report all allegations of academic or scholarly dishonesty to their Graduate Program Director and the student’s home Graduate Program Director if different. Furthermore, Graduate Program Directors must report all incidents in which a student is found guilty to the Dean of the Graduate School. Additional details on procedures for hearings and other functions at the judiciary processes are available in the Grievances and Appeals section of the Catalog.

Graduate students must strictly observe professional standards, academic honesty, and proper scholarly conduct in coursework, examinations, research, written reports and in proper professional treatment of laboratory animals, research subjects, clients, or patients encountered in the process of graduate education.

For more information, please visit http://www.stonybrook.edu/policy/policies.shtml?ID=210

Grievance and Appeals Procedure

Stony Brook University and its Graduate School encourages the prompt resolution of suspected academic misconduct violations and grievances as they arise. The following procedures are designed to provide a well-defined, orderly, yet flexible structure that reflects the overall uniqueness of graduate education and the graduate student-faculty relationship. Any member of the academic community may refer a suspected violation of academic integrity directly to their relevant Graduate Program, the Graduate School, and/or the Academic Judiciary Office.

I. General Procedures to Adjudicate a Grievance

• Upon identification of a 1) suspected violation of academic integrity, 2) suspicion that a graduate student was subjected to a violation, misinterpretation or inequitable application of a University or Graduate Program regulation, policy, or procedure, 3) suspicion that a graduate student was treated unfairly or inequitably to established academic policy governing or affecting graduate students at Stony Brook University, or 4) belief that a student’s degree progress has not been appropriately evaluated, a resolution of the alleged grievance will be sought through a conference between the relevant parties and a neutral representative of the relevant Graduate Program(s) (e.g., GPD or Chair).
  • The purpose of this meeting is for the person bringing the grievance to describe the event and for the respondent to respond to the accusation.  Any evidence and/or documentation should be provided in writing to all parties prior to the meeting.
  • In the case of a faculty grievance against a student, the faculty member should also be prepared to recommend an appropriate sanction; to ensure equity, the Graduate Program representative(s) can adjust the sanction to maintain consistency across the program 
  • Both the student and faculty member may request the presence of an additional person at this conference (e.g., the graduate advocate, the graduate program director, department chair, or other neutral advisor).
• If the respondent acknowledges responsibility and accepts the suggested sanction, the Graduate Program (e.g., GPD, Chair, or GPC) will report the case and its outcome to the Graduate School. If the misconduct occurred in a course outside the student’s program(s), the Graduate School will inform the student’s primary and any secondary programs or certificate of the accusation and resolution. The Graduate School may notify other administrative officials on campus as necessary (e.g., academic dean, provost, Academic Judiciary, etc.).
  • Formal documentation, including the complaint and evidence should be retained by all relevant parties for a minimum of 2 years after the resolution or until the student graduates, or leaves the program.
• If the academic community member and student are unable to arrive at a resolution, the matter will be referred to the Graduate Program Grievance and Appeals Committee (GPGAC) within two weeks, by the Graduate Program (GPD, Chair, GPC) for arbitration.  See Appendix A below for description of the GPGAC.
• If the academic community member or student chooses to appeal the GPGAC decision, an appeals statement must be emailed to the Dean of the Graduate School, within 2 weeks of the decision. All parties should provide the Dean with any documentation that they think is relevant to the case including previous decisions. Regardless of an appeal the GPGAC decision must be forwarded to the Graduate School.
• The Dean will forward the appeals to the Graduate Council Appeals Committee (GCAC). The GCAC will make a recommendation to the Dean. The disposition of the Dean is final. See Appendix A below for description of the GCAC.
• An appeal of the GPGAC decision can only be considered based on new evidence that was not available at the time of the hearing or procedural irregularities.
• The standard of evidence used by the GPGAC and the GCAC committee is “clear and convincing.” The respondent may be found responsible for the accusation on the basis of direct evidence, circumstantial evidence, or a combination of the two. The committee will make a judgment, by majority vote, of whether the respondent is responsible or not responsible for the accusation brought against them. The committee will recommend a sanction to the Dean of the Graduate School who is responsible for ensuring that the proposed sanction is consistent and equitable with Graduate School policy. All parties will be notified of the outcome. 

II. Faculty Grievances Against Graduate Students

Allegations of academic or professional misconduct including plagiarism, cheating, disallowed collaborations on academic class assignments and take-home exams, will be adjudicated as described above.

Sanctions will be proportional to the offense: 

• For first offenses in a course, the sanctions will be limited to the course and could include no credit for the assignment in question to failure of the course.
• For first offenses in intermediate milestone degree requirements not related to courses (including but not limited to qualifying or comprehensive exams), possible sanctions include failing the exam, academic suspension, and/or dismissal from the program.
• For first offenses related to final degree requirements (proposals and exams for advancement to candidacy, preparation and defenses of theses and dissertations), possible sanctions include failing the exam, suspension, and/or dismissal from the program.
• For second offenses, where students are found responsible for the first offense or admit responsibility to the first offense, possible sanctions include failing the course, suspension, and/or dismissal from the program.

Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations will have a Q grade placed on their transcript for the relevant course(s).  This ‘Q’ grade is an indication denoting a violation of academic integrity. To remove the first Q grade, students will be required to complete coursework on academic integrity.  

Students found responsible for more than one academic integrity violation may be subject to additional penalties up to and including suspension and dismissal.  Under these circumstances, their transcripts will be marked with a permanent Q grade designation, for all courses where an academic integrity violation has been found to occur.

III. Student Grievances against Faculty or other Members of the Academic Community

Graduate students may present grievances against faculty and other members of the academic community if they believe that: 1) they were subjected to a violation, misinterpretation or inequitable application of a University or Graduate Program regulation, policy, or procedure, or 2) they were treated unfairly or inequitably to established academic policy governing or affecting graduate students at Stony Brook University. 

A grievance must be valid, supported with evidence, showing course discrepancies with the department/ instructor’s policy and what was stated in the course syllabus or other violation/misinterpretation of University policies.  A grievance must be filed within one calendar year from the date of the alleged offense, however, upon demonstration of good cause, this deadline can be extended by the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, College or School Dean or Dean of the Graduate School.

When the student’s grievance is upheld and all appeals have been exhausted, the resolution (i.e., the measures taken to redress the student’s grievance) must be documented and reported to the appropriate University administrative offices by the Dean of the Graduate School.

The Dean of the Graduate School and the GCAC cannot intervene in matters covered by the procedures set forth in the Policies of the Board of Trustees, the Rules for the Maintenance of Public Order, or the collective bargaining agreements between New York State and the United University Professions (the faculty-staff union) or GSEU (the Graduate Student Employees Union). The Dean and GCAC considers only claims of clearly improper academic practices; they will not intervene in disagreements about an instructor’s intellectual judgment. 

IV. Student Grievances with Respect to Academic Progress, Dismissal, and Authorship

If students believe that their degree progress has not been appropriately evaluated, they may bring a grievance against their program.  As examples, students may bring a grievance if they do not understand the basis on which they have failed a major academic milestone or if they believe that they have been inappropriately dismissed from the Graduate School.  In addition, students may raise issues pertaining to attribution and/or authorship only related to degree progress or requirements.

For issues related to authorship students should try to resolve issues through an initial meeting with relevant parties, prior to submission to the GPGAC.

Students who believe that they have been inappropriately dismissed from the Graduate School may file an appeal directly with the GCAC, bypassing the initial meeting with relevant parties and the GPGAC appeals process. Dismissal appeals will follow all other procedures as described above.

Appendix A

Graduate Program Grievance and Appeals Committee Membership (GPGAC): The Graduate Program Director or Department Chair will form a Program Grievance and Appeals Committee that will be composed of an equal proportion of faculty and students and no fewer than two faculty members and two graduate students. Faculty must be chosen in any way that accords with general policy of the program, but may not include the faculty named in the individual grievance case or a faculty party to it in some compromising way (e.g., avoid direct and even indirect conflicts of interest). Student members must be chosen by the students in the program without faculty interference, but may not include students named in the grievance case or party to it in some compromising way. A larger number of members may be necessary as long as the equal ratio of faculty to graduate students is maintained. A non-voting member (such as the Graduate Program Director) may be included to ensure equity across multiple cases. One faculty member will be designated as the chair of the GPGAC. All individual parties can request, without stipulating a reason, the replacement of one member of the GPGAC within five days of being notified of the committee composition. Typically, the GPGAC will be an ad hoc committee, distinct from standing program committees.

Graduate Council Appeals Committee (GCAC): The GCAC will consist of an equal number of graduate students and faculty. Faculty members, including the committee chair, will be appointed by the Graduate Council. Graduate student members will be appointed by the Graduate Student Organization. A senior staff member of the Graduate School (Associate Dean or Assistant Dean) will normally serve as a non-voting member of the GCAC, and may be included to ensure equity across multiple cases. The GCAC may consider appeals on technical issues of procedure or when additional new relevant information that was not previously available is now available. The person who is appealing to the GCAC is responsible to state clearly and concisely the nature of the grievance and the cause for request of an appeals hearing. Criteria for assessing the initial standing of an appeal include those policies addressed in the Graduate Bulletin or in published and approved program handbooks or guidelines. The person who is filing the appeal must communicate with the GCAC only through its chair, and all such communications must be in writing.

Confidentiality: Once a Grievance Committee is formed (at any level), the relevant parties and the committee members have the obligation to maintain confidentiality of the proceedings and of all materials presented during the proceedings. A breach of confidentiality may subject the individual to charges of misconduct.

Academic Dismissal

Dismissal from the Graduate School can be requested by Departments or Programs in cases where there exist requirements beyond those of the Graduate School for the maintenance of good academic standing. In any such case the following requirements are made of the program:

• All such requirements must be stated clearly in writing and given to each student enrolled in the program. Any requirements not so publicized may not be enforceable.
• No student may be dismissed for poor academic or research performance by any program unless he or she has been on program probation or has received two consecutive semesters of unsatisfactory performance evaluations from the program immediately preceding the dismissal.
• Students must be notified in writing when they are placed on program probation, with a copy of the letter sent to the Graduate School. The letter of notification must be received by the student before the first day of classes of the semester in which the probation takes effect, and it must state the reason(s) for the probation, the possible consequences of the probation and the possible remedies for it.
• Students may be dismissed without having been placed on probation as described above, only in cases where they fail to pass required examinations or milestones as stated in published departmental policy, or in cases of proven academic dishonesty.
• Notifications of dismissal from the University will come from the Dean of the Graduate School and will be made to the student in writing, explaining the reasons for the dismissal. The student will have seven days to respond to this letter before the dismissal is processed and the student is blocked from further registration.
• Students may be dismissed or placed on probation by programs for reasons of academic or research performance only. All other disciplinary matters must be referred to the appropriate office of the University.

A graduate degree may be revoked in cases of academic or professional misconduct by a student during the course of his or her studies. The results of departmental/program hearings are forwarded to the department chair/program director who will forward this to the Dean of the Graduate School with a recommendation concerning any penalties. The Dean of the Graduate School will consult as needed with the Graduate Council. The Dean will determine and implement penalties and may recommend to the President that the degree be revoked. The Board of Trustees of the State University of New York revokes the degree. If the degree is revoked, the degree notation on the official transcript will be removed and replaced by a statement explaining the reason of the revocation

Claims of Discrimination

If a graduate student feels that they have been discriminated against on any basis, that person should contact Stony Brook University’s Office of Equity and Access (OEA) for information, documentation and reporting procedures.

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