Professionalism Policies & Procedures

The faculty of our College has approved curricular outcome competencies that each student is expected to master. One of the most important is the demonstration of personal values and ethical principles in all professional and social contexts. Most students come into our program with a well-developed value system that is further refined as they grow through their college experience in general and their professional education. As a result, there is little emphasis on disciplinary procedures. However, to minimize ambiguity with regard to unprofessional and unacceptable behaviors, professionalism policies are presented here in some detail.

Professional Standards

The foremost privilege and responsibility of the profession of pharmacy is to selflessly serve humanity, follow state and federal rules and regulations with regards to the pharmacy profession, and to promote the public health and welfare. Given such important privilege and responsibility, pharmacy students are expected to present and conduct themselves in a manner commensurate with a health care professional.

Expected professional behavior includes but is not limited to the following:

Student attendance for rotations, lectures, laboratory sessions, and meetings is expected and students must adhere to attendance policies enacted by the course syllabus and this document. Students are expected to be punctual and to remain present until the conclusion of the activity.  For courses or meetings in which attendance is mandatory, no student may sign in for another student for attendance purposes.  Signing in for another student or using a method to portray you are present in class or the meeting when you are not physically present is considered a Honor Code violation and will be referred to the USC Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.

In all in-person and virtual academic and professional settings, students are expected to be alert and prepared to handle all assigned tasks and duties. When students are assigned to work with others, it is expected that the student will participate and complete their responsibilities with regard to the project.

In all in-person and virtual academic, professional, and social settings, it is expected that students will be courteous, respectful, non-disruptive, and display positive demeanor. 

The expression of criticism or issues, either in person, in writing (letter or email), or telephone will be done in a non-threatening, non-abusive, and positive manner. Students should follow the College of Pharmacy Student Grievance Policy in regards to individual or class issues.

In in-person and virtual professional settings, students will always dress in accordance with the College of Pharmacy Dress Code.

In all in-person and virtual academic, professional, and public settings, it is expected that students will display the highest level of honesty and ethics. If a student suspects that another student has committed a form of academic dishonesty, there is an obligation on the student to report the violation in accordance with the USC Honor Code.

As healthcare professionals in training, students are expected conduct themselves so that the health of their colleagues, faculty, and patients is not at risk due to their behaviors.  Students are expected to self-report diagnosis of any highly communicable disease to the College of Pharmacy upon discovery per the appropriate method.  Students will not be penalized for missing classroom, laboratory or experiential activities due to a documented medical illness because of which they cannot be around others. 

A pharmacy student is required to uphold the dignity and honor of the profession, and to accept its ethical principles. Students shall not engage in any activity that will discredit the profession. Students are expected to follow and uphold all local, state and federal laws at all times.

Criminal Background Check & Student Arrest Policy

The College of Pharmacy will conduct Criminal Background Checks for all students accepted to the professional program. In addition, the College of Pharmacy will conduct Criminal Background Checks prior to pharmacy practice experiential rotations. The College of Pharmacy may provide the results of these Criminal Background Checks to the USC Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy, and/or the pharmacy practice sites participating in experiential rotations. Students are responsible for clearing any issues reported in background checks. In the event an incident is not expunged from a background report, the College of Pharmacy will make a reasonable effort to place a student at a practice site for practice experiences, but placement is not guaranteed.

Ineligibility for entry to pharmacy practice experience sites will result in the inability to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.

Any student who is arrested or convicted for violation of federal, state, or local laws is subject to appropriate disciplinary action by the University of South Carolina, College of Pharmacy and/or the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy Dean’s office may immediately suspend a student from participating in experiential rotations until their case can be reviewed by USC Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, College of Pharmacy Student Policy and Professionalism Committee, and/or South Carolina Board of Pharmacy. Each of these entities may review the student’s case and may impose appropriate disciplinary action.

In addition, the College of Pharmacy Dean’s office may immediately suspend a student from participating in experiential rotations if the Dean’s office feels a student may pose a risk to public safety due to criminal background check results, arrests, or convictions. If the student believes that the background check results are in error and can provide proof, the student will be given the opportunity to produce this proof.

Procedures:

All students will be required to sign a consent form which allows the College of Pharmacy to provide all background check reports to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy and Experiential Rotation Preceptor(s)/site.

All arrests or convictions must be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs within 2 university business days of the event. The arrest or conviction may be reported to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy by the College of Pharmacy. Additionally, students must notify the USC Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity within 72 hours of the event. Any student with an arrest or conviction may be placed on professional conduct probation by the Dean’s office. Depending on the severity of the charges, the Dean may suspend the arrested or convicted student immediately until the charges have been resolved. The student case will be reviewed by the USC Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity and/or College of Pharmacy Student Policy & Professionalism Committee and a recommendation for resolution will be provided to the Dean.

If an arrested student fails to report the arrest or conviction within 2 university business days, then he/she may be subject to immediate suspension or dismissal from the College of Pharmacy.

Any official documentation related to arrests or convictions must be reported to the College of Pharmacy within 2 university business days of receipt.  The Deans Office will maintain documentation of Background Check reports and any documentation provided by the student.   This documentation will be maintained in a file separate from the student’s academic file. 

Any student arrested or convicted for drug or alcohol related offenses may be required to seek counseling and/or educational services at the Recovering Professionals Program (RPP) and/or USC Student Health Services Counseling and Psychiatry Office . The student may be required to sign a release statement authorizing the College of Pharmacy Associate Dean for Student Affairs to verify that the student has been compliant with attendance and therapy requirements developed by the case manager. If a student is required to perform random drug screening(s), then the student must report a copy of the results to the College of Pharmacy within 72 hours of receipt. Any expense incurred for the drug screenings will be the responsibility of the student.

If a student’s pharmacy intern certificate is suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered, the student may be suspended from the College of Pharmacy immediately

Further requirements that may be imposed upon the student can be found in the Chemical Impairment Policy.

Chemical Impairment Policy

Addiction to or abuse of any substance is detrimental to overall physical and mental health, as well as to academic and professional performance.  Addiction and abuse are serious issues among healthcare personnel, including pharmacists.  Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and colleges of pharmacy share the responsibility of ensuring patient health, safety, and welfare.  Student pharmacists will participate in experiential components throughout the curriculum that occur in various patient care settings.  In order to ensure patient safety, the USC College of Pharmacy (COP), as well as the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy (BOP), expect student pharmacists to remain un-impaired during all experiential components. An active SC BOP-issued Intern Certificate is required for enrollment and continuation in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program; a student may be suspended from the COP if the Intern Certificate is suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered.

In addition to the drug screen required to matriculate into the PharmD program, the COP has adopted the following policy and procedures related to student drug screening and subsequent results and sanctions.  For the purposes of this policy, a positive drug screen will result from the following:

1. any detected substance for which a student does not have a legal prescription;
2. any detected substance that is not legal in the state of South Carolina;
3. presence of alcohol in the drug screen after observed impairment of the student in the didactic, laboratory, or experiential setting. 

In addition to protection of patients and the pharmacy profession, an equally important purpose of this policy is to facilitate the identification of a student who may be chemically impaired and promote appropriate treatment and recovery of these individuals.  Enrollment in a recovery program does not make the chemically impaired pharmacy student immune to legal proceedings for criminal acts involving drug misuse, or illegal use.  The academic standing of a chemically impaired pharmacy student will not change while the student is on a leave of absence/suspension for therapy/treatment. If the student is academically ineligible to continue in the PharmD curriculum, participation in the rehabilitation program will not preclude administrative action for dismissal from the COP for academic reasons.

Self-Reporting Chemical Dependence or Abuse

College of Pharmacy students who suspect that they may be chemically dependent on or abusing a substance are encouraged to voluntarily report themselves to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The student will be referred to the South Carolina Recovering Professionals Program (SCRPP) and may also be referred to the USC Student Health Services Counseling and Psychiatry Office. Any costs associated with treatment are the responsibility of the student.  Students referred to SCRPP or USC Student Health Services Counseling and Psychiatry Office will be required to sign a statement of consent allowing the COP to contact the recovery or counseling program to verify that the student has sought the service, as well as discuss appropriate recommendations for potential re-entry into the COP (if the student is on a leave of absence or suspended).  Students who refuse to seek treatment as advised or give consent for SCRPP and/or USC Counseling and Psychiatry Services to discuss progress/recommendations with the COP Dean’s Office will be subject to the procedures outlined in the section below titled “Drug Screening Based on Suspicion of Chemical Impairment Dependence, and/or Abuse”.  The COP Dean’s office may immediately suspend a student from participating in experiential rotations if risk is posed to patient or public safety.

A file containing information related to drug screens and/or treatment will be kept separate from the student’s academic file in the Dean’s Office and only accessible by the Student Services Manager, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Senior Associate Dean.

Drug Screening Based on Suspicion of Chemical Impairment, Dependence, and/or Abuse

All COP faculty, staff, and students have the professional responsibility to report cases when they reasonably suspect a student to be chemically impaired, dependent, or abusing substances. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs should be notified in those cases where student impairment is suspected. Conduct that may suggest chemical impairment includes but is not limited to:

• a decline in academic performance
• changes in behavior and/or appearance
• failure to carry out professional responsibilities
• repeated tardiness or absenteeism
• psychomotor deficiencies
• observed intoxication

The Dean’s Office may refer such students for an immediate drug screen to occur within 24 hours of notification. Any expense incurred for the drug screen(s) will be the responsibility of the student. In the case of a positive result, the student will be required to meet with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs as well as the COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee.  Sanctions that may result from a positive drug screen include, but are not limited to, referral to the SCRPP +/- suspension/dismissal from the PharmD program.  Any costs associated with treatment are the responsibility of the student.  Enrollment into the PharmD program requires that students consent to the sharing of positive drug screen results with legal and recovery/treatment entities including, but not limited to, the USC Office of Student Conduct, USC Student Health Services Counseling & Psychiatry Office, South Carolina Recovering Professional Program (SCRPP), and the South Carolina BOP.  The COP Dean’s office may immediately suspend a student from participating in experiential rotations if risk is posed to patient or public safety.

Any student with a positive drug screen who refuses to seek treatment as advised or refuses to give consent for SCRPP to discuss progress/recommendations with the COP Dean’s Office will be referred to the COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee for more stringent sanctions, including potential suspension or dismissal.  A file containing information related to drug screens and/or treatment will be kept separate from the student’s academic file in the Dean’s Office and only accessible by the Student Services Manager, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Senior Associate Dean.

Random Drug Screening

In addition to the required drug screening prior to matriculation and site-specific pharmacy practice experiences, all PharmD students will also be randomly selected to undergo additional drug screening throughout the academic year. The following policies and procedures detail the process for random urine drug screens for students enrolled in the PharmD program:

1. All enrolled PharmD students will participate in a minimum of one random urine drug screen during each of the P1 – P4 academic years to test for use of illegal substances, prescription drugs not prescribed for them, or designer drugs.  The screen must test for, at minimum, amphetamines/methamphetamine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, benzoylecgonine-cocaine metabolites, codeine/morphine, marijuana metabolite, and phencyclidine.
2. Random drug screenings may occur at any time. In order for student pharmacists to be unable to determine a pattern of screening, a varied frequency of testing will be utilized each year.
3. When selected for a random drug screening, the student will receive an email notification from the COP to their university email account. When selected for a random drug screening, students must complete the requirement within 72 hours of the email notification date/time stamp.  Failure to check your university email account on a daily basis will not result in an issued extension beyond the allotted 72 hours.
4. Drug screens will be conducted by COP-approved third-party vendors who will follow standard operating procedures for collection of drug screening samples involving chain of custody procedures. Vendor locations, hours of operation, and submission instructions will be provided in the drug screen notification email. Students wishing to use an alternate vendor must request approval from the COP within 24 hours of receiving their screening notification email.
5. The COP will assume the costs for obtaining each random drug screen students are required to complete as directed by the College of Pharmacy.  Students who request (and are approved) to utilize a site outside of COP-approved vendors will be required to assume the cost of their random drug screen(s).  Students are responsible for the costs of all drug screens required for sanction or treatment purposes, as well as specific drug screens required by Experiential sites.
6. A student who is under the care of a healthcare provider and is taking prescription medication known to cause a positive drug screen test result (such as stimulants for ADHD or sedatives for anxiety) will be required by the testing facility to submit proof which substantiates the student’s legal use of the substance.  Failure to submit the required documentation to the testing facility may result in a positive drug screen.
7. Students must consent at time of sample collection for their results to be shared with the COP. Results will be sent directly from the third-party vendor to approved personnel in the COP. Students may request a copy of their screening results from the vendor and/or COP.
8. If for any reason a student feels they are unable to complete a drug screen within the required 72-hour timeframe, they may request alternate accommodations from the Student Services Manager within 24 hours after receipt of the email notification for random drug screening selection. Requests will be reviewed by COP personnel and the student notified of request approval/denial. 
9. Once selected for a random drug screening, students who fail to receive a drug screen within 72 hours, refuse to submit to a drug screen, or fail to provide consent for the results to be reported directly to the COP will be required to meet with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and may be referred to the COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee.  Failure or refusal to comply with the Chemical Impairment Policy that leads to COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee referral may result in sanctions inclusive of suspension and/or dismissal.
10. Results that are reported as dilute-negative will be assigned a repeat screening.  Students are responsible for costs associated with additional drug screening(s) required due to reported dilute results from the initial drug screen.
11. Students will be notified of a positive result via email. In the case of a positive result, the student will be required to meet with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs as well as the COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee.  A student that tests positive will be referred to SCRPP.  Additional sanctions may include, but are not limited to, suspension or dismissal from the PharmD program.  Prior to beginning the PharmD program, all students must consent to the College of Pharmacy’s ability to share positive drug screen results with legal and recovery/treatment entities including, but not limited to, the USC Office of Student Conduct, USC Student Health Services Counseling & Psychiatry Office, South Carolina Recovering Professional Program (SCRPP), and the South Carolina BOP. 
12. A student will be referred back to the COP Student Policy & Professionalism Committee for more stringent sanctions, including potential suspension or dismissal if they:
    1. Refuse to seek treatment as required by sanctions from the COP
    2. Refuse to give consent for SCRPP to confirm that the student has sought the service
    3. Refuse to give consent for SCRPP to discuss their progress /recommendations for potential re-entry into the COP (if the student is on a leave of absence or suspended)
    4. Refuse or fail to comply with any other COP sanctions
13. The COP Dean’s office may immediately suspend a student from participating in experiential rotations if risk is posed to patient or public safety. 
14. A file containing information related to drug screens and/or treatment will be kept separate from the student’s academic file in the Dean’s Office and only accessible by the Student Services Manager, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Senior Associate Dean.

Student Sexual Harassment Policy

The College of Pharmacy will follow the policies of the University of South Carolina regarding sexual harassment for students. The USC website provides additional guidelines, including notification of student rights under FERPA and other mandated notifications.

Dress Code Policy

The College of Pharmacy dress code is mandatory for all practice laboratories, all introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences, grand rounds/seminars, and professional events held in any location where individuals are representing the College of Pharmacy.

All students should refer to individual course syllabi (i.e. laboratory settings, specific class settings) for additional dress code requirements specific to classroom/laboratory settings.  

The following guidelines are appropriate for dress during laboratory and experiential rotations: students are required to wear a USC College of Pharmacy white, long-sleeved jacket-length lab coat and USC College of Pharmacy ID badge attached at the collar or chest pocket of the lab coat. Non-USC College of Pharmacy/commercial logos and badges are not permitted on lab coats. Students must adhere to individual course/pharmacy rotation site policies regarding site-specific ID badges.

The following are examples of acceptable clothing in the laboratory and experiential settings: a dress shirt with tie or bowtie, polo shirt, dress blouse, dress sweater, dress slacks, skirt, dress, dress socks, and close-toed dress shoes. Individual course syllabi may indicate that College of Pharmacy scrubs may be worn in place of professional attire. All clothing worn in experiential or laboratory settings must be clean, pressed, and free of contaminants (i.e. blood borne pathogens and toxic chemicals). 

Students with visible piercings should seek the advice of the preceptor or laboratory faculty coordinator for accommodations. Note that accessories (i.e. jewelry, long finger nails) or behaviors (i.e. chewing gum, cologne or perfume) may be deemed inappropriate for specific experiential or laboratory settings due to sterile or nonsterile preparation guidelines. Race and cultural accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students should consult with faculty or preceptors regarding specific attire concerns.

Individual pharmacy practice sites or laboratory settings may have a more rigorous dress code requirement. Students must adhere to specific preceptor requirements, site requirements or laboratory faculty coordinator guidance, as applicable. In the experiential setting, students may be dismissed immediately for inappropriate attire and asked to return in appropriate attire. Students will be required to make up time missed from rotation if dismissed for inappropriate dress (refer to the attendance policies in the experiential manuals).

Smart casual / modest attire should be a guideline for appropriate dress in the classroom. Attire that may be deemed distracting to students, faculty or others should not be worn in the classroom. Students wearing inappropriate attire may be dismissed from class and/or reported to the Dean’s Office for a professionalism violation. Examples of inappropriate attire include, but are not limited to the following:

• Clothing that shows undergarments
• Clothing that exposes the trunk of the body
• Clothing with derogatory, offensive, lewd messages or images
• See through garments
• Pajamas
• Attire, accessories or behaviors that may be deemed unsafe or distracting to other students, instructors, preceptors, health care team members or patients

All students must adhere to any temporary or permanent clothing or garbing items needed to mitigate public health concerns and/or maintain the aseptic nature of laboratory, classroom and experiential rotation settings. These requirements may be issued by the university or college and may include, but are not limited to, face coverings, masks, gloves, gowns, etc. Students are expected to remain up-to-date on these requirements as they may change throughout the academic year and may vary between learning areas.

Students attending national, state, or regional conferences or events where they represent the USC College of Pharmacy and the pharmacy profession are expected to abide by this policy. Students not adhering to this policy in these settings may be reported to the Dean’s Office for a professionalism violation and may lose travel reimbursement from the College of Pharmacy and/or be referred to the College of Pharmacy Student Policy and Professionalism Committee.

Social Media Policy

The College of Pharmacy recognizes that social networking websites are popular means of communication. Students who use these websites must be aware that posting certain information is illegal. Violations of existing statutes and administrative regulations may expose the offender to criminal and civil liability, and the punishment for violations may include fines and imprisonment. Offenders also may be subject to adverse academic actions up to and including dismissal. Please be advised that the following actions are forbidden (i.e., are considered violations of the College of Pharmacy Student Professionalism Policy):

You may not discuss the personal health information of other individuals. Removal of an individual's name alone does not constitute proper de-identification of protected health information. Inclusion of data such as age, gender, race, diagnosis, date of evaluation, or type of treatment or the use of a highly specific medical photograph (such as a before/after photograph of a patient having surgery or a photograph of a patient from a medical outreach trip) may still allow the reader to recognize the identity of a specific individual.

• You may not report private (protected) academic information of another student or trainee.
• You may not present yourself as an official representative or spokesperson for the institution.
• You may not access another person’s online accounts without his/her permission.
• You may not represent yourself as another person, real or fictitious, or otherwise attempt to obscure your identity as a means to circumvent any prohibitions listed in the Student Professionalism Policy.

In addition to these actions, the College of Pharmacy Student Professionalism Policy includes the following violations relevant to the use of social media:

• knowingly distributing false information, statements, or accusations against another student, preceptor, or faculty/staff member
• posting offensive, derogatory, defamatory, or insulting comments—whether verbal, written, or electronic—about College of Pharmacy administration, faculty, preceptors, staff, students, patients, or participants in College of Pharmacy projects
• engaging in cyberbullying, including spreading false information or malicious rumors
• participating in discriminatory discussions that target individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected statuses
• threats or acts of physical violence to College of Pharmacy administration, faculty, preceptors, staff, students, patients, or participants in College of Pharmacy projects
• harassment, in any form, of College of Pharmacy administration, faculty, staff, preceptors, students, patients, or participants in College of Pharmacy projects
• violating the confidentiality of a college committee by an appointed student representative serving on that committee
• sharing of passwords for protected sites

Students who publicly list their affiliation with the College of Pharmacy must include a disclaimer clarifying that their views are their own. Example: 'The views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of USC College of Pharmacy.'

When using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or enhance content shared on social media platforms, students must prioritize accuracy, ethical responsibility, and professional integrity. Any AI-generated text, images, or multimedia content should be clearly identified as such and thoroughly fact-checked before posting. The use of AI to impersonate others, spread misinformation, or fabricate clinical, academic, or personal narratives, including patient cases or data, is strictly prohibited. Students should also follow any course-specific guidelines regarding the use of AI and refrain from sharing content in violation of those policies.

Due to the prevalence of and types of information that can be displayed through social media (Facebook™, X™, Instagram™, blogs, TikTok™, Snapchat™, etc.) in today's society, the College offers the following social media use guidelines for students.

Avoid any activity on social media sites that could portray you, the College of Pharmacy student body, the College, the faculty and/or preceptors, the University or the pharmacy profession negatively. Some of the strongly discouraged actions include, but are not limited to:

• the unprofessional display of vulgarity through written comments, photos, and/or affiliations 
• the unprofessional display of language or photos that indicate discriminatory bias against any individual or group because of age, race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, or sexual orientation
• the unprofessional display of photos or language that condone the irresponsible use of alcohol, substance abuse, or sexual promiscuity
• posting of inflammatory or unprofessional material on another individual’s website
• display of any language that degrades or disrespects patients

Those actions may be interpreted as violations of the College of Pharmacy Student Professionalism Policy. Furthermore, per HIPAA regulations, patient privacy must be maintained at all times regardless of the communication medium. This policy should not be construed to impair any constitutionally protected activity, including speech, protest or assembly.

Procedures for Professionalism Policy Violations

Any student, faculty, staff member, or individual associated with the College’s academic programs may report a student for lack of professional behavior to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. For minor violations, the incident should be brought to the student’s attention and resolution attempted before reporting the incident to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Upon receiving a report regarding unprofessional behavior, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will determine the legitimacy of the report based upon the College’s Professionalism policies, severity of the incidence, and urgency in which it needs to be addressed. Depending on the nature of the incident, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs may act on a single report or wait to act until they receive multiple reports of unprofessional behavior.

Once the Associate Dean for Student Affairs determines that administrative action is warranted, the action chosen will be based up the severity of the infraction(s). If the infraction is greater than a Tier 1 violation, the incident will automatically be referred to the College of Pharmacy Student Policy and Professionalism Committee and the committee will determine the appropriate course of action.

Tier 1 (Minor) Violations

Includes, but not limited to:

• Failure to meet required deadlines;
• Failure to communicate appropriately using verbal or written formats;
• Reports of attendance or timeliness problems;
• Violation of Dress Code Policy; or
• Violations of Social Media Policy.

For the first report of unprofessional behavior in this tier, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will meet with the student to counsel them on the seriousness of the behavior and the potential consequences of such behavior. The discussion should include strategies to correct the behavior or address the problem. Following the meeting, the student and Associate Dean for Student Affairs will sign and date a statement acknowledging the student’s behavior and their awareness of potential consequences for similar behavior in the future. This statement will be placed in the student’s file. The complaining party shall be notified that the student has been counseled by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

For the next reported offense(s), the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will notify the student and the chair of the College of Pharmacy Student Policy and Professionalism Committee. The student will appear before the committee to discuss the behavior. These penalties may include, but are not limited to, a written warning, placement on professional conduct probation, suspension from the College of Pharmacy for up to one year, or dismissal from the College of Pharmacy. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will then enforce the final penalty.

Tier 2 (Major) Violations

Includes, but not limited to:

• Unprofessional behavior while on experiential rotations;
• Violation of the Chemical Impairment Policy;
• Violation of the Criminal Background Check & Student Arrest Policy;
• Documented theft of medications including illicit and/or controlled substances;
• Illegal use or possession of illicit and/or controlled substances; or
• Convictions related to illicit and/or controlled substances.

For the first reported Tier 2 offense, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will notify the student and the chair of the College of Pharmacy Student Policy and Professionalism Committee. The student will appear before the committee to discuss the behavior. These penalties may include, but are not limited to, a written warning, placement on professional conduct probation, suspension from the College of Pharmacy for up to one year, or dismissal from the College of Pharmacy. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will then enforce the final penalty.

If the referral comes from the Experiential Education office, they will be consulted regarding potential sanctions.

For subsequent problems with professionalism, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will notify the student and Student Policy and Professionalism Chair. The student will appear before the committee to discuss the report and behavior. The outcome will be based on the type of unprofessional behavior and whether this is a new behavioral problem or continuation of ongoing problem. Possible outcomes will be professional conduct probation, suspension from the Doctor of Pharmacy program for up to one year, or dismissal from the College of Pharmacy.

For any meeting with the Student Policy and Professionalism Committee, a student is permitted to bring an advocate that is a part of our academic community (student, faculty, staff, preceptor). Legal counsel is not permitted to attend a meeting with the committee.

Professional Conduct Probation, Suspension and Dismissal

Professional conduct probation is defined as a designated time during which a student is under an official warning that subsequent violations of the professionalism policy or University rules, regulations, or policies are likely to result in a more severe sanction which may include suspension or dismissal from the program. While on professional conduct probation, a student may be considered to be “not in good standing” and may face specific limitations which may include, but are not limited to:

• Ineligibility for College of Pharmacy scholarships;
• Ineligibility to hold leadership positions in student organizations, class officer positions in the College of Pharmacy, or any university-wide leadership positions;
• Ineligibility to receive financial support from the College of Pharmacy to attend professional organization meetings; and/or
• Ineligibility for assignment to practice sites considered Specialty Rotations by the Experiential Education office. Students who are put on professional conduct probation after receiving a specialty rotation assignment may be removed from the rotation.

If the Student Policy and Professionalism Committee recommends suspension, the student may be suspended from the College of Pharmacy for up to one year. Suspended students will not be allowed to seek or hold office in any professional organization or class at the College of Pharmacy or university level. A suspended student who completes their suspension period and does not have any additional instances of unprofessional behavior will be removed from suspension and placed on professional conduct probation as outlined above.

A student may be dismissed after an Initial Issue, depending on severity, or after subsequent issues while on probation or suspension. Dismissal is the mandatory withdrawal of a student. If the committee recommends dismissal, the student may be dismissed immediately from the College of Pharmacy. After dismissal, the college will not accept any course work from the student to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy program or final two years of the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree.

Appeals

Students may appeal the decision of the Student Policy and Professionalism Committee to suspend or dismiss the student to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. Appeals must be received in writing within 10 days of the notification of the sanction. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Dean will convene an ad hoc committee made up of the Dean, Senior Associate Dean and an unbiased faculty member or administrator of the Dean’s choosing to hear the appeal and issue a final decision in the matter.

In some instances, policies of the university may override or carry more stringent penalties based on the violation than the policies stated in this document. University policies will be enforced in these cases.

Eligibility for Federal Financial Aid & Scholarships

Students found in violation of the Arrest and/or Chemical Impairment policy may jeopardize their ability to receive federal financial aid for which they might otherwise be eligible. In addition, students found in violation of any College of Pharmacy policies may be prohibited from receiving a scholarship from the College of Pharmacy.