A student's class standing in the College of Pharmacy is based on probable time of graduation rather than on the number of semester hours of college credit earned.

Grade Notations. College of Pharmacy students receive grades of A+ through E. Grades of A+ through C- denote passing work in courses required for a degree from the College of Pharmacy. D+, D, and D- grades denote passing work in elective courses only. Grades of A+, A, and A- indicate excellent work; grades of B+, B, and B- denote good work; and grades of C+, C, and C- fair work. The minimum passing grade is a C- for a required course and a D- for an elective course. Grades of D+, D, D- denote failure in required courses. Grades of D+, D, and D- indicate deficient work in elective courses. An E grade denotes failure in any course. Grades are not removed from a student's record by reelection of the same course.

Grades carry the following honor-point values per each semester hour credit: A+, A = 4.0; A- = 3.7; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0; B- = 2.7; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; C- = 1.7; D+ = 1.3; D = 1.0; D- = 0.7; E = 0.0. One semester hour of credit represents about three hours of work each week of a term; i.e., one lecture and two hours of preparation, or three hours of laboratory work.

The number of honor points awarded per course is determined by multiplying the honor-point value of the letter grade by the semester hours of credit of the course for which it is earned. For instance, a grade of B+ (3.3 honor points) earned for a three-credit course yields 9.9 honor points. Honor points earned are used to calculate the student's grade point average (GPA). The GPA is computed by adding the honor points earned for each course and dividing that total by the number of semester hours of credit elected for a grade. A grade of P or F awarded for a course elected on a pass/fail basis does not affect a student's grade point average. (Graduate students should refer to the Rackham Graduate Student Handbook for grade and honor-point information.)

Pass/Fail Option. The pass/fail option allows students to elect courses that interest them without concern for the effect on their grade point averages. Student transcripts show one of two designations for courses elected as pass/fail: P (pass) and credit toward program or F (fail) and no credit toward program. Instructors in graded courses report letter grades for all students in their courses. For students who have elected a course on a pass/fail basis, the Registrar's Office records letter grades of A+ through C- as P on transcripts and letter grades of D+ through E as F. Pass or fail grades do not enter into the computation of the term or cumulative grade point average.

There are two restrictions on the pass/fail option: 1.) a student may elect only one elective course per term on a pass/fail basis and 2.) a required course cannot be elected on a pass/fail basis unless it is graded on a pass/fail basis only. Required courses graded on a pass/fail basis do not count toward the one-course-per-term limit on pass/fail elections.

Elective courses graded only on a pass/fail or credit/no-credit basis do not count toward the one-course-per-term limit on pass/fail elections. Students electing a course on the pass/fail option must indicate the grading option at the time of registration. A course elected on a graded basis may be changed to pass/fail, and vice-versa, before the start of the third week of the term (or before the second week of a half term).

Audit/Visit Option. Students are allowed to enroll in elective courses on an audit basis, if permission is obtained from the instructor. If permission is given to audit a course, the student must fulfill the instructor's expectations. The grade designation for an audited course is VI (visit). No credit toward any degree requirements is given for courses elected on an audit basis.

Changes of Election. Students who wish to change their courses after registration should consult first with their advisor. Course changes are subject to the following deadlines:
o Adding a course. Courses may be added through the end of the third week of classes of a term (second week of a half-term).
o Dropping a course. Courses may be dropped through the end of the 10th week of a term (four-and-one-half weeks of a half-term). Courses dropped after a term's third week of classes (second week of a half-term) require the permission of the course instructor and a student's advisor. The course grade will carry a "W" designation on the student's academic record. The fee assessment will not be reduced for courses dropped after a term's third week of classes (second week of a half-term).
o Changing a modifier. A course modifier (e.g.., from graded to pass/fail) may be changed through the end of the third week of classes of a term (second week of a half-term). Petitions for exceptions to the change-of-election deadlines must be submitted to the College Committee on Academic Standing for consideration. The committee may approve a request if the student documents unusual circumstances in support of an exception.

Requirements for Course Credit. Final examinations are held in most courses during the last part of each term. The examination is an essential part of course work. Absence from the final examination is reported on a student's academic record as X and credit for the course is temporarily withheld. Any student absent from a final examination is required to report to the instructor as soon as possible. A student with a valid excuse for absence is permitted to take an examination. The letter grade then added to the X on the student's transcript reflects performance on that examination and if the student earns a passing grade in the course credit is awarded. If a student's excuse for absence is deemed unsatisfactory or if the student fails to present an excuse, the course grade becomes an E.

When a student is prevented by illness or other cause beyond control from completing a course, the instructor may report an I (incomplete) for the course. Incompletes are awarded only when most course requirements have been completed and work has been satisfactory. When an I is reported for a course credit is temporarily withheld. The student should complete outstanding course requirements as soon as possible. Unless the instructor grants an extension and submits it in writing to the Registrar's Office, an incomplete must be completed by the end of the next term (not including spring-summer term) for which the student is enrolled. When all course requirements are met the appropriate letter grade is added to the student's record; if the student earns a passing grade in the course, credit is awarded.

If course requirements remain uncompleted after the allotted time has elapsed, the Records Office adds a course grade of E to the student record. A student who repeats a course and completes it with a minimum passing grade receives the additional number of honor points for the new grade. Extra semester hours of credit for the repeated course do not count toward those needed for graduation, but semester hours of credit for both elections are included in the denominator in calculating the grade point average.

Although the regulation of class attendance is left to the discretion of each instructor, he or she is urged to report excessive absences to the dean so that the cause may be determined. Students are warned that the accumulation of unexcused absences may result in either a request to drop the course or a report of an E grade. Only valid excuses, such as incapacity, are accepted.

Students have an academic deficiency when their overall GPA or term GPA falls below 2.000 and/or they do not successfully complete a required course. Students with academic deficiencies are subject to action by the College Committee on Academic Standing. Each case is considered according to the student's circumstances, the College policies on scholarship, and progress toward fulfillment of degree requirements.

Students are subject to one or more of the following actions by the Committee: 1.) academic warning, 2.) academic probation,
3.) academic probation with specified conditions, 4.) denial of permission to proceed to the next year of a degree program, 5.) dismissal from the College.

Students who fail to achieve a minimum passing grade of C- in any course required for a degree from the College of Pharmacy will have their status reviewed by the Committee on Academic Standing. While most students will automatically be required to repeat the course within a specified time period, the Committee may, in rare instances, grant approval to a student to not repeat the course.

Approval to not repeat a course will occur only after consultation with the course instructor. Students who are required to repeat a course and wish to enroll in subsequent required courses would need approval of the Committee on Academic Standing if the unsuccessfully completed course is listed as a prerequisite. Approval to take a subsequent course will occur only after consultation with the course instructor. When D graded course is repeated, credit toward the program is awarded only once; however all grades earned in the course are included in the calculation of the student's grade point average.

Students who withdraw from the Pharm.D. program voluntarily or when dismissed by the Committee on Academic Standing must apply for readmission if they wish to be enrolled for a subsequent term. Requests for consideration for readmission should be addressed to the College Admissions Committee no later than eight weeks before the start of the term in which a student intends to enroll. Decisions will be based on the circumstances leading to a student's withdrawal and the availability of space in the class year for which the student would qualify upon readmission.

The College follows University guidelines and regulations regarding access to student records. Ordinarily, access to records is restricted to authorized personnel, such as deans and the student services staff. Faculty must have legitimate academic interest to view student records. That principally occurs when faculty serve as a student's academic advisor. Faculty also have implied consent to view a student's record if a student asks for a letter of recommendation from a faculty member, or if a student asks a faculty member to act as an advisor on a research project. Students wishing to deny faculty access to their records under either of the previously cited cases must notify the College's Academic Services Office of their wishes each time a request for faculty action is initiated. Faculty will have access to student records in other circumstances only with permission from the College's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

The following awards and prizes are given each year to recognize outstanding students:

Alumni Award. A cash award from alumni is presented to the third-year Pharm.D. student with the highest overall grade point average.
Dean's Professionalism Award. A plaque and honorary membership in the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) are awarded to a graduating Pharm.D. student who has made outstanding contributions to College life and shown good academic performance. This award is sponsored by the MPA.
R.A. Deno Scholarship Award. A cash award is made to the Pharm.D. student who has shown the most significant scholastic improvement during the calendar year preceding the term in which the award is made. Grades in clerkship and investigations courses are excluded from grade point calculation for this award, named for R.A. Deno, a former professor.
Julia E. Emanuel Award. This cash award was established by Miss Emanuel, an 1889 graduate of the College, and is continued by bequest. It is awarded to a graduating Pharm.D. student who has contributed to College life and shown good academic performance. Awardees are selected on the basis of scholarship, citizenship, and contributions to the pharmacy profession.
Lilly Achievement Award. A bronze medal is presented to a graduating Pharm.D. student with the third highest grade point average in his/her graduating class.
Merck Award. This prize consists of current editions of Merck Index and Merck Manual of Therapeutics and Materia Medica from Merck and Co. which are awarded to the graduating Pharm.D. student with the second highest grade point average in his/her class.
Albert B. Prescott Scholarship Award. A cash award given to the graduating Pharm.D. student with the highest overall grade point average in the graduating class.
Rho Chi Award. This cash award is given to the second-year Pharm.D. student with the highest overall grade point average.
Rho Chi Recognition Certificate. Certificates are awarded to second-year Pharm.D. students who rank in the upper 25 percent of their class.
Tom D. Rowe Award. This cash award is made in honor of the former dean and professor, Tom D. Rowe, who served the College for many years. The award is given to a graduating Pharm.D. student who has contributed to College life and shown good academic performance.
College of Pharmacy Research Award. The College presents this monetary award to a graduating Pharm.D. student who has shown excellence in research and has described this research in a paper submitted to the Pharm.D. Investigations Committee.

Students in the College of Pharmacy are eligible for election to membership in the following honor societies:

Phi Kappa Phi. Graduating pharmacy students are eligible for membership in Phi Kappa Phi, a national honorary society. Twice a year students from the senior classes of all schools and colleges of the University are elected to membership on the basis of scholarship, personality, and service to the University.
Phi Lambda Upsilon. A national chemical honor fraternity which each year elects to membership outstanding students specializing in all branches of chemistry.
Rho Chi. This national pharmacy honor society was originally founded as the Aristolochite Society at the University of Michigan in 1908. In May 1922, the association changed its name to the Rho Chi Honor Society. The U-M is the Alpha Chapter of this prestigious national organization. Third- and fourth-year Pharm.D. students in the top 20 percent of their class and graduate students in the pharmaceutical sciences with superior academic records are eligible for membership.

Degree honors are awarded at graduation to recognize exceptional academic performance during the Pharm.D. program. They are: "with highest distinction," for a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or above, "with high distinction," for a cumulative GPA of 3.750 to 3.899, and "with distinction," for a cumulative GPA of 3.6 to 3.749. Degree honors are noted on the student's diploma and transcript. To qualify for degree honors, students must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours (at least 75 of which are graded) in the College of Pharmacy after admission to the Pharm.D. program.

All University students are responsible for upholding the standards in the Code of Student Conduct. The Code sets forth the standards of nonacademic conduct and a disciplinary process for resolving complaints of alleged violations of the standards.
Examples of behaviors which contradict the values of the University community include: physically harming, sexual assaulting, sexually harassing, hazing, stalking, or harassing another person; possessing, using, or storing firearms, explosives, or weapons; tampering with fire or other safety equipment; setting fires; illegally possessing, using, distributing, manufacturing, or selling alcohol or other drugs; intentionally and falsely reporting bombs, fires, or other emergencies; stealing, damaging, destroying, or defacing University property or the property of others; obstructing or disrupting classes, research projects, or other activities; making, possessing, or using any falsified University documents or records; and violating state or federal law if such action has a serious impact on the University community. Please see the Code for further details.
The Resolution Coordinator administers the Code and directs the Office of Student Conflict Resolution. The Resolution Coordinator: reviews complaints from faculty, students, or staff who believe a violation of the Code has occurred, investigates alleged violations, counsels students, faculty, and staff about the resolution process; helps complainants and accused students prepare for arbitrations and mediations, enforces sanctions, and educates the University community about the Code. The Code is published in The Student Handbook of the University of Michigan: Insiders Guide or Rounding Out in A2 and may be obtained on the World Wide Web at http://www.umich.edu/~oscr/. For more information, contact the Office of Student Conflict Resolution at (734) 936-6308.

Students are also subject to all regulations and rules set by the College and faculty. The College faculty are responsible for making regulations that encourage adherence to the Code of Conduct. This code and other College rules apply to all pharmacy courses and to the use of all College facilities. The College and faculty are responsible for making these regulations known to students affected by them. Students are responsible for becoming thoroughly familiar with rules and getting clarification of those that are unclear. Students should bring any concerns about regulations to the appropriate faculty member or to the College Executive Committee.

Cheating. Using unauthorized notes, study aids, or information from another student or student's paper on an examination.
Plagiarism. Submitting work that in part or whole is not entirely the student's own, without attributing such portions to their correct sources.
Fabrication. Presenting data in work that were not gathered in accordance with the guidelines defining the appropriate methods of collecting or generating data and failing to include a substantially accurate account of the method by which the data were produced or collected.
Aiding or Abetting Dishonesty. Providing material or information to another person with the knowledge that it will be used improperly.
Falsification of Records and Official Documents. Altering documents affecting academic records, forging signatures of authorization, or falsifying information on an official academic document, election form, grade report, letter of permission, petition, or any document designed to meet or exempt a student from an established College or University academic regulation.

The College of Pharmacy Code of Conduct is a policy under which students and faculty share responsibility for monitoring the academic conduct of students. In this system, the responsibility of students parallels that of pharmacists, who maintain high standards by monitoring the professional conduct of their peers.

Like many other professions, pharmacy is largely responsible for formulating and monitoring its own ethical standards. This opportunity to govern itself is a privilege granted to the profession by society with the understanding that the profession will maintain the welfare of the public as its primary concern. In exercising this responsibility, the American Pharmaceutical Association and the state and local professional associations such as the Michigan Pharmacists Association have adopted codes of ethics that define minimum standards of professional conduct. U-M pharmacy students are expected to be familiar with the American Pharmaceutical Association's Code of Ethics and to adhere to it.

As a condition of admission to the College, a student must sign a pledge stating that he or she understands the Code of Conduct and agrees to abide by its principles. Students also are required to sign pledges for all examinations, attesting that they have neither given nor received help on the examination. Similar pledges also may be required for other class work at the discretion of the instructor. If a student or faculty member observes unethical behavior, he or she should report the violation in writing as soon as possible to a member of the Honor Council, composed of students elected to represent each class of the Pharm.D. program.

The Honor Council investigates and judges cases of alleged student misconduct. The faculty adviser to the council may advise about procedure but does not have a vote in council decisions.

If a student is found guilty, the council submits a written report of the offense to the Committee on Discipline. The committee is composed of three faculty members, appointed by the dean, and the president and secretary of the Honor Council. The committee reviews the council report and conducts any further investigation on the case deemed necessary. The penalty for the violation is then assessed. If the defending student chooses, he or she may then appeal the decision to the College Executive Committee, which has final authority in matters of student conduct.

Appeal procedures give the undergraduate or Pharm.D. degree student mechanisms to review faculty and staff actions or College committee decisions that the student feels are unjust, discriminatory, or in error. Students enrolled in College of Pharmacy programs in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies use the graduate school's appeal procedures. The appeal procedures are used to review grievances or appeals related to any academic matter or College policy, procedure, or student service. These procedures may be used for charges of discrimination based on sex, race, age, handicap status, national origin, religion, Vietnam-era veteran status, or on any other characteristic or status for which discrimination is prohibited by law. They also are used when a student believes special circumstances justify exception to a specific policy or procedure.

• Every effort should be made to resolve disputes at the earliest possible step in the appeal or grievance procedure.
  
• Appeals and grievances should be filed as soon as possible following the action or decision from which the appeal derives.
  
• Documentation of appeals and grievances should include all pertinent information that supports the appeal or grievance. Documentation of decisions should be distributed to all persons involved in the appeal or grievance and should include the reason or basis for each decision.
  

Students who wish to appeal or file a grievance about an action or decision of a College of Pharmacy faculty or staff member shall take the following steps:

Step 1. The student seeks an appointment with the faculty or staff member involved in the decision or action in question. Most disputes should be resolved at this level, following thorough discussion of the issues by those involved.

Step 2. If still not satisfied, the student should seek an appointment with the dean of the College to discuss the matter. The student may request the dean to try to resolve the matter or ask that the dean refer the matter to an ad hoc student advisory committee appointed by the Pharmacy Student Government Council (PSGC). Although the dean usually will honor a student's request that the matter be referred to such a committee, in some cases a referral may not be appropriate and the dean has the right to try to resolve the dispute without a referral.

If the matter is referred to an ad hoc advisory committee, the following procedures apply:

1. The dean advises PSGC of the matter and asks it to appoint an ad hoc advisory committee to interview the parties and try to mediate the matter for the dean.
   
2. PSGC appoints an ad hoc committee of three PSGC members. Each committee member must be unbiased (e.g., not having a close personal relationship with the student or the faculty member).
   
3. The committee meets with the student and the faculty member to discuss the situation and tries to mediate the problem.
   
4. The committee reports to the dean the results of the meeting and any resolutions agreed to by the parties or other recommendations for resolving the dispute.
   
5. The dean reviews the mediated resolution, if any, or the committee's recommendations and, if appropriate, resolves the matter as recommended.
   

Step 3. The student requests the dean in writing to refer the matter to an appropriate College committee for review. After receiving the written request the dean refers the matter to either:

1. the College Committee on Academic Standing (if the issue falls within its scope); or
   
2. a special ad hoc faculty committee (if the issue is not within the above committee's scope). The dean appoints to the special ad hoc committee at least three faculty members who have no direct involvement in the matter under review and who are not members of the College of Pharmacy Executive Committee.
   

Upon written request to the chairperson of the committee, everyone involved in the appeal or grievance is given the opportunity for a hearing before the committee. Those requesting a hearing may be accompanied by witnesses in their behalf.
Step 4. If not satisfied after Step 3, the student, faculty or staff member involved in the dispute may appeal the decision to the College Executive Committee. (See Below.)

A student who wishes to appeal a decision of the Committee on Academic Standing appeals directly to the College of Pharmacy Executive Committee, as follows:

1. The student submits a written appeal to the dean, who is chairman of the College Executive Committee. The dean may decide to refer the matter back to the Committee on Academic Standing or to review the appeal with the Executive Committee.
   
2. The College Executive Committee reviews the appeal and accepts it or denies it. Any member of the Executive Committee who also serves as a member of the Committee on Academic Standing does not participate in the review.
   
3. The dean, as chairman of the Executive Committee, communicates the committee's decision to the student in writing.
   

The Executive Committee's decision is final and ends the appeal process.

Any student may bring a grievance or complaint in reference to the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accreditation standards. The ACPE, as directed by the U.S. Department of Education, requires that any student complaint lodged against the College of Pharmacy, or the pharmacy program, alleging a violation of the ACPE Accreditation Standards should be submitted in writing to the College's Associate or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. The Accreditation Standards ("Accreditation Standards and Guidelines for the Professional Program in Pharmacy Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree," adopted June 14, 1997) can be found in the publications section of the American Association of College's of Pharmacy (AACP) accreditation Website at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/.

The following procedures will apply to such complaints:

1. The first attempt at resolving a complaint or grievance will be made by the College's Associate or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs.
   
2. If the grievance is not resolved by the Assistant or Associate Dean, the complaint will be submitted to the College of Pharmacy Executive Committee for resolution.
   
3. If the Executive Committee recommends a change in College policy, the policy will be brought to the faculty for approval, if required.