Policies and Procedures

Academic Policies

Student Rights and Responsibilities

General Policies

 Health Policies

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The policies contained herein are provided to give a general understanding of the regulations governing East Tennessee State University and the Quillen College of Medicine. They are subject to revision at any time with little or no advance notification. The Quillen College of Medicine assumes no responsibility for errors in or misinterpretation of these policies. Additional information concerning the policies of ETSU may be found on the ETSU website.

The Medical Student Education Committee (MSEC) approved policies that affect the student medical education curriculum.  The Student Catalog reflects the policy statement and/or purpose with the full policy text located on the Academic Affairs MSEC/OTHER Educational Policies webpage under Educational Policies. Each full policy text has a section labeled “Scope” which identifies how the policy is applied. In the event that a course or clerkship director concludes that a policy is inapplicable in their course or clerkship, the course or clerkship director will notify the MSEC Chair to request a waiver for the policy.  This request will involve presenting a rationale for the waiver at an MSEC meeting.

See the following link for those managed and/or housed on the Academic Affairs MSEC/OTHER Educational Policies webpage under Educational Policies:

https://www.etsu.edu/com/msec/resources/policies.php

University students are citizens of the state, local, and national governments and of the academic community, and are, therefore, expected to conduct themselves as law-abiding members of each community at all times. Admission to an institution of higher education carries with it special privileges and imposes special responsibilities apart from those rights and duties enjoyed by non-students. In recognition of the special relationship that exists between the institution and the academic community which it seeks to serve, the ETSU Board of Trustees has authorized the president of the university to take such action as may be necessary to maintain campus conditions and preserve the integrity of the institution and its educational environment.

Pursuant to this authorization, the ETSU Board of Trustees has developed regulations that are intended to govern student conduct on the campus. In addition, students are subject to all national, state, and local laws and ordinances. If a student’s violation of such laws or ordinances also adversely affects the institution’s pursuit of its educational objectives, the institution may enforce its own regulations regardless of any proceedings instituted by other authorities. Conversely, violation of any section of the ETSU Board of Trustees regulations or university rules may subject a student to disciplinary measures by the institution whether or not such conduct is simultaneously in violation of state, local, or national laws.

All students are expected to adhere to rules and regulations that have been developed by ETSU to govern student conduct while attending academic assignments in any location. Any violation of national, state, or local laws as well as violation of ETSU regulations will subject the medical student to disciplinary proceedings as outlined in the General Policy on Student Conduct and Disciplinary Sanctions.

Any medical student who is convicted of a felony may be dismissed following a review of the matter through appropriate due process procedures. Any medical student whose continued presence on campus or on clinical rotations is believed by university officials to constitute an immediate threat to the physical safety and well-being of the student, other members of the university community, or patients or whose actions constitute a substantial disruption of college activities may be placed on interim suspension as outlined in the ETSU General Policy on Student Conduct and Disciplinary Sanctions.

Any student who engages in the unauthorized or unsupervised practice of medicine, immoral activities, cheating on any educational assignment, misuse or defacing College of Medicine property, unethical or unprofessional activities, or behavior which interferes in any way with patient care or another student’s ability to study and attend all curricular sessions may be dismissed from school following a review of the matter through appropriate due process procedures. Any activity, which adversely impacts patient care or the ability of any student to meet a responsibility in the educational program, shall be deemed an academic matter.

Any Quillen student who has any type of criminal charge brought against him or her is required to disclose this information to the Associate Dean of Student Services within five working days of the charge (see Criminal Background Checks  in the Admissions section of this catalog). 

All cases involving violation of disciplinary rules or academic misconduct which may result in suspension or expulsion of a student are subject to the contested case provisions of the Tennessee Uniform Administrative Procedures Act (TUAPA). Such cases shall be processed in accordance with the uniform contested procedures adopted by the Board of Regents. The student may waive those procedures, after being advised of them in writing, and elect to have his or her case disposed of in accordance with the institutional procedures outlined below in the Student Honor System policy or the Student Promotions Committee Policy. Students opting to use these institutional procedures waive all hearing rights under TUAPA.

Medical students at the Quillen College of Medicine, as future physicians, are individuals of integrity. They will, in the future, hold the public trust and are therefore held to the highest standards of personal honor. They tell the truth and ensure that the full truth is known. They do not lie. They embrace fairness in all actions. They ensure that work submitted as their own is their own, and that assistance received from any source is authorized and properly documented. They do not cheat. They respect school and public property as well as the personal property of others. They do not steal.

The honor code is designed to enable medical students at the Quillen College of Medicine to maintain their own highest ethical standards. It is loosely based upon those developed at United States service academies. It works only if the students understand and commit to it. The code is simple, yet its spirit is broad and covers all facets of a medical student’s medical education. The code, as the minimum standard of honor for a medical student, forms the link to the high standards demanded of physicians in the practice of medicine.

The Honor Code: Medical Students at Quillen College of Medicine shall not lie, cheat, or steal.

Purpose

The honor code represents the minimum standard for medical students at the Quillen College of Medicine. Honor, personal integrity, and loyalty to the profession are fundamental characteristics essential to a successful physician. Medical students unable to conduct themselves in such a manner may not be fit to practice medicine and may jeopardize their privilege of becoming a member of the profession. The offenses of lying, cheating, and stealing are intolerable at the Quillen College of Medicine and may subject an offender to punishments up to and including dismissal.

Precepts

The following apply to all medical students at the Quillen College of Medicine. Medical students are presumed to be honorable men and women of the highest personal integrity and accept responsibility for their personal development as future physicians with adequate skills, knowledge, and professional integrity. A medical student’s honesty, loyalty to the profession and to the Quillen College of Medicine will compel him or her to report any violation of the honor code.

The Honor Code

Medical students at the Quillen College of Medicine shall not lie, cheat, or steal.

Definitions

Lying

To state an oral or written untruth with the intent to deceive. It is a lie to knowingly misrepresent a true situation or to deceive by withholding, omitting or subtly wording information in such a way as to leave an erroneous or false impression of the known true situation. Such misrepresentation may be either by word or by deed.

Cheating

To derive an unfair advantage by one’s actions. To knowingly use unauthorized assistance in work submitted as one’s own efforts or to knowingly submit another’s work or ideas, claiming them as one’s own by not giving proper reference to that work, i.e., plagiarism.

Plagiarism

Submission of another person’s work as one’s own. For example, the failure to provide proper documentation for all source material on reports, research papers, or any assignments submitted as original work constitutes plagiarism. Proper documentation shall be in the form of footnotes and an appropriate bibliography.

Assistance

Giving or receiving assistance is expressly allowed and encouraged on all homework, laboratory, and out-of-class assignments unless specifically prohibited by the instructor.

Stealing

Wrongfully taking, obtaining, or withholding personal, school, or public property or anything of value from the possession of the true owner with the intention of depriving the owner of its use or possession for any period of time. This includes fraudulently obtaining services without payment (e.g., the unauthorized use of school telephones for long distance calls).

Amplification

The terms defined in this section and above shall be considered honor violations under the honor code of the Quillen College of Medicine. Specifically, the failure of a student to comply with any policy or regulation of the College of Medicine is by definition not in itself a violation of the honor code unless that act specifically violates a provision of the honor code. The failure of any student to properly report a known or suspected honor violation is in and of itself not a violation of the honor code. The responsibilities of persons witnessing or suspecting honor violations are discussed under ‘Responsibilities upon learning of a possible honor offense’.

To be guilty of lying, cheating, or stealing, an accused must be shown to have had the necessary state of mind. For a lie to have occurred, one must have intended to deceive. To have cheated, one must have intended to use unauthorized assistance, to represent another’s work as one’s own, or to otherwise gain an unfair advantage. To have stolen, one must have intended to deprive the owner without permission either temporarily or permanently of the use or possession of the property. A student need not intend to commit an honor violation per se, but only complete an act of lying, cheating, or stealing with the state of mind described.

It is a violation of the honor code to attempt to lie, cheat or steal or to solicit or assist another to lie, cheat or steal. An attempted offense is an act done with the intent to commit an offense under the honor code. The act must be more than mere preparation to commit an offense, but rather one must attempt to carry out or complete an act of lying, cheating or stealing. The specific intent required is that of the attempted offense-the accused need not intend to violate the honor code.

Solicitation consists of any statement, oral or written, or any other act or conduct intended as a serious request or advice to lie, cheat or steal. The solicited offense need not be attempted or committed. Aiding in the commission of an honor offense consists of assisting or encouraging the active perpetrator of an honor offense, and sharing the intent of that offender. The intent required is the same as for the active offender. Mere presence at the scene of an offense does not constitute an offense. Failure to prevent the commission of an offense is not an honor violation unless the noninterference was designed to operate and did operate as an encouragement to, or protection of, the active offender.

Applicability

The honor code contains guidelines that form the basis for a medical student’s conduct in all places and under all conditions. Ideally they would apply off campus as strictly as they do in the classroom. Notwithstanding such, the honor code as an instrument of monitoring, investigating, and prosecuting medical student conduct shall be strictly limited to the following situations:

1. Any and all conduct occurring wholly or in part on the campus of East Tennessee State University or on the property of the Mountain Home Veterans Affairs campus and/or the Quillen College of Medicine.
2. Any and all conduct occurring while participating in an academic setting or affiliated program away from the Quillen College of Medicine as a student or representative of the Quillen College of Medicine. Examples of this include clerkships, “away” rotations, preceptorships, etc.
3. Any and all conduct occurring while participating in any activity sponsored by East Tennessee State University or the Quillen College of Medicine, regardless of physical location.

Note: While specifically not covered by the student honor system, unscrupulous student activities wholly unrelated to the Quillen College of Medicine, e.g., a felony arrest and conviction, may subject a student to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. Such situations will specifically not involve the student honor system or the honor council.

Responsibilities upon learning of a possible honor offense

All members of the Quillen College of Medicine staff, faculty, and medical student body have the responsibility of being familiar with the precepts, purpose, definitions, and procedures of the honor code. Any individual, upon witnessing or learning of what may be a violation of the honor code, has the following options:

1. Immediately report the suspected violation in accordance with the Procedural Appendix.
2. Discuss the incident with the suspected offender and report the suspected violation in accordance with the Procedural Appendix.
3. Discuss the incident with the suspected offender and, if it appears that no violation was committed, take no further action.

Prior to selecting a course of action, the person learning of a possible violation normally should gather relevant facts and discuss them with the suspected offender. The responsibility for the proper course of action rests with the individual learning of the possible violation. To maintain confidence in the fairness of our system, medical students, faculty, and staff must take one of the steps outlined above. Failure to do so, while not specifically a violation of the honor code, may result in disciplinary action at the discretion of the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. Any person who decides to report a possible honor offense should submit a written statement in accordance with the Procedural Appendix.

Amendments to the Honor Code

Students and full-time faculty members are encouraged to participate in the amendment process for the purpose of developing and maturing a successful honor code. Amendments to the honor code may be proposed by a petition signed by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the entire voting honor council or by a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the Quillen College of Medicine full-time faculty. A referendum election shall be held within six (6) weeks after receipt of the petition and proposed amendments.

Amendments to the honor code must be approved in a referendum election by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the students voting, provided that at least fifty percent (50%) of students have voted. Approved changes will take effect upon subsequent ratification of the amendments by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the full-time faculty voting providing that at least fifty percent (50%) of the full-time faculty have voted.

Student Acknowledgment and Publicity of the Honor System

As a precondition for matriculation in the Quillen College of Medicine, each student shall sign the following pledge: “While registered in the Quillen College of Medicine, I pledge to abide by the Honor Code set forth in the Student Honor System.” Each new student entering the Quillen College of Medicine will be informed as to personal obligations with respect to the Honor System and its functions. Orientation of the incoming freshman class shall be the responsibility of the Honor Council as a whole, with the sophomore members acting as coordinators. Upon matriculation into the medical school first-year class, all medical students are under the stipulations of the Honor System and are expected to abide by it during their entire course of study. A minimum of one training period shall be conducted on an annual basis, preferably near the beginning of each academic year, to discuss the honor code, its purpose, precepts, definitions, and procedures. Such training shall be the responsibility of the honor council chairman and will be conducted by members of the honor council. Training shall be available and mandatory for each class and highly encouraged for the faculty of the Quillen College of Medicine.

The Honor Council

In order to administer the Honor System, an Honor Council shall be formed. The council will be empowered with the following functions:

1. The council shall establish needed programs for the operation and maintenance of the Honor System.
2. The council shall act in an advisory capacity to students with regard to the interpretation of the Honor Code.
3. The council shall consider all reports of alleged violations of the Honor Code and determine whether further consideration is warranted.
4. The council shall act as a fact-finding board in hearing procedures of alleged violations of the Honor Code, as hereinafter specified.
5. The council shall act in an advisory capacity to the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine in making recommendations with supporting documentation regarding any person found by the council to be in violation of the Honor Code.
6. While the council shall function to enforce the spirit and procedures of the Student Honor System, it is nevertheless a body which shall act to protect the rights of the students and, in this respect, shall be available to counsel students both individually and collectively.

Meetings shall be called by the Chair of the Honor Council when a suspected violation of the Honor Code is reported. The chair may also call meetings at any other times as deemed necessary. Whenever possible, the meeting shall be held in an appropriate room within the Quillen College of Medicine in the early evening on weekdays. A meeting must be called by the chair within seven days after requested by two or more members of the council. All meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The presence of seven elected voting members shall constitute a quorum, provided that at least one representative from each of the four medical school classes (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior and senior) is present among the attending members.

The council shall be comprised of thirteen members, of which twelve shall be duly elected voting members and one shall be a non-voting faculty advisor. The twelve voting members shall be elected representatives of the four medical school classes, with three representatives from each class. The non-voting faculty advisor shall be appointed by the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine from a list of nominees supplied by the Faculty Advisory Council.

The presidents of the individual classes shall conduct elections during which Honor Council representatives shall be chosen as follows: the freshman, sophomore, and senior classes shall each elect three council members; the junior class shall elect four council members. The term of office for each representative shall be from the date of election until completion of elections during the forthcoming fall semester. After their election, the council representatives shall meet and select from among themselves by majority vote a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Recorder, and a Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect shall be elected from those representatives who are members of the freshman or sophomore class at the time of the election.

Elections of representatives of the freshman class shall be conducted with the election of other freshman class officers and representatives as soon as feasible after the commencement of fall semester. Election of rising second-year representatives shall occur in the spring semester of the first year as part of the election of rising second-year class officers and representatives. In the event of a change in representatives from the first to second year, the term of the outgoing first-year representative shall end on July 1 between first and second year and the term of the incoming second-year representative shall commence on July 1 between first and second year. The term of office of each representative of the sophomore class shall be from the date of election until graduation from the medical school. Elections will not be held in the junior and senior years, as representation shall be considered ongoing through the sophomore appointments. In addition, a Chair, Vice-chair, and a Recorder shall be elected from the rising fourth year representatives by vote of the Honor Council in the spring, with each officer’s term lasting until the election of new officers the following spring.

Should any member of the council resign, the class from which the member was elected shall select a replacement as soon as it is feasible. The election shall be conducted by the president of the appropriate class.

At the time of the election of representatives to the council, each class shall prepare a list of names of three persons who would serve as alternate council members. Should a situation arise wherein an insufficient number of elected representatives is available for council service, as might occur during a summer session, the Chair shall temporarily appoint, from among those students listed, an appropriate number to sit on the Honor Council. The Chair should attempt to appoint a new member to the council from the same class as that elected member who is unable to serve. After graduation of three senior class council members, the temporary appointments should come equally from the remaining three classes.

The chair of the council has the following duties:

1. Meet with the other members of the council as early in the school year as possible and explain in detail the function of the council and duties of its members.
2. Meet with the officers of each class to explain the Student Honor System.
3. Arrange a time and place for meetings to be held and notify the other members of the council and the faculty advisor of such meetings.
4. Take charge of and conduct all meetings and hearings with as much dispatch as possible.
5. Ascertain that adequate minutes of the meetings are recorded and that all minutes, correspondence, and any formal statements received by the council are kept in proper order.
6. Oversee responsibilities for communications between the council and the dean or the administration of the Quillen College of Medicine and report to the other members of the council any resulting matters of importance.
7. Perform any additional duties common to the Office of Chair not heretofore listed.

The vice-chair of the council has the following duties:

1. Assume all of the duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence.
2. Assume all of the duties of the Recorder in the Recorder’s absence.

The recorder of the council has the following duties:

1. Record adequate minutes of every meeting.
2. Record by audiotape those portions of a hearing as hereinafter specified.
3. Take charge of and record the receipt of all correspondence, written statements, and other official papers received by the council.
4. Secure, file, and maintain in proper order in a special, locked Honor Council file in the Office of Student Services any council minutes, official papers or recordings, as well as any documents or evidence presented during a violation hearing as hereinafter provided. (Access to this special Honor Council file shall require prior Honor Council approval.)
5. In the absence of both the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Recorder shall assume all the duties of the Chair. Should such a situation occur, the Chair-Elect shall act as Recorder for the council.

Violations of the Honor Code and Hearing Procedure

A student who has reason to believe that a breach of the Honor Code has been committed is expected to report the incident to the Honor Council within two weeks. This report shall be in writing and signed by the person(s) and witness(es) making the report. The report should name the alleged violator(s) and witnesses and state in as much detail as possible the place, date, time, circumstances, and other pertinent factors of the alleged offense. The report should be sealed in an envelope and given to any Honor Council member. Faculty and staff may also report suspected violations of the Honor Code to the council as stated above. Any council member receiving a report of a suspected violation of the Honor Code shall deliver it to the Chair of the council as soon as is feasible.

The Chair shall call a meeting of the council no later than seven days after receipt of a written report of a suspected violation. This meeting shall be scheduled to convene as soon as feasible. The report will be presented at the meeting by the Chair or other informed member of the council and the council will then vote to proceed according to one of the following courses of action:

1. The report does not constitute a breach of the Student Honor System; therefore, no further action should be taken by the council; or,
2. A hearing on the report will be held by the council; or,
3. Further investigation of the report is needed before appropriate action can be taken. After the investigation has been conducted according to procedures hereinafter set forth, the findings of the investigation shall be presented to the council. The council will then vote to proceed according to one of the aforementioned courses of action.

When voting on the proper course of action, a simple majority vote of those council members present at the meeting will control. Members of an investigating committee (defined below) may vote as to which course of action to follow and will be counted toward a quorum.

Committee Supporting Student Health (CSSH)

The Committee Supporting Student Health (CSSH) has been established by the Medical Student Government Association of the Quillen College of Medicine to assist medical students who have a substance abuse problem. Any suspected problem of substance abuse or report of such should be made directly to the CSSH. Should the Honor Council receive a report alleging substance abuse on the part of a medical student, the council shall transmit information regarding said allegation to the CSSH. After transmission of the information, the Honor Council will take no further action unless the student has otherwise violated the Honor Code.

Hearing Procedure

Whenever the council decides that further investigation is required before it can act, or wherein the council decides that a hearing on a report is appropriate, the chair will appoint a committee of two members of the council to investigate the report and present their findings to the council. In the event of a hearing on the report, the investigating committee shall present evidence to the council at the hearing. The investigating committee shall not be present when the council considers their response to the evidence presented.

Wherein the council has voted to conduct a hearing, the accused shall be given the following information in writing:

1. A list of the charge(s) against the accused, specifying the section(s) of the Honor Code violated.
2. A copy of the Student Honor System that includes the accused’s procedural rights.
3. A list of the members of the Honor Council.
4. The date of the hearing on the alleged violation(s) which shall be no sooner than ten days after the above listed information is given to the accused. If the accused desires additional time in which to prepare a defense, a written petition may be submitted to the chair and, if warranted, a reasonable postponement of the hearing shall be granted.

The hearing will be private unless the accused requests an open hearing. Deliberations of the council on findings or recommendations shall be closed to all persons except members of the council. When a private hearing is conducted, it shall be closed to all persons except members of the council; the accused with an advisor, if asked to attend by the accused; witnesses, while testifying; and other persons may be admitted by agreement of the accused and the council.

After being given written notification of the alleged violation(s) and hearing date, the accused has the right to be informed of the prosecutorial evidence. Additionally, the right to a copy of any written statements relevant to the case will be given. The accused does not have the right, prior to the actual hearing, to know the names of persons who have furnished written statements. Therefore, the names of such persons will be deleted from the copy of any written statements provided the accused.

The accused has the right to be faced by any witness who has given a statement relevant to the case at the hearing and to produce witnesses (including no more than two character witnesses), introduce documentation, and offer personal testimony. The accused also has the right to be accompanied by a non-participant self-chosen advisor.

The accused has the right to be heard or to remain silent in regard to the charges brought. If the accused elects to offer testimony as to a specific alleged act of misconduct, then the right to remain silent as to that specific act is waived and all questions pertaining to that alleged act must be answered truthfully.

The accused has the right to challenge, on the grounds of prejudice, any member of the council sitting on the case. If such a challenge is made, the council shall deliberate to determine whether cause exists to remove the challenged member. Only council members shall be present during said deliberations. By a majority vote of the members of the council (excluding the members being challenged), the challenged members shall be excused from the case. The accused has the additional right to excuse without cause two council members sitting on the case. In such an event, the accused is not required to state a specific objection as to why a specific council member is excused. If the accused excuses council members without cause and, as a result, the number of council members sitting on a case is reduced below the number required for a quorum (seven), the case may nevertheless proceed through hearing and verdict. In such a case the accused will be deemed to have waived the right of having a quorum.

The accused has the right to challenge any conduct during the proceeding that may prejudice any personal rights. A majority vote of the council will sustain the accused’s challenge. If the council decides that a right of the accused has been prejudiced, the council will take appropriate actions to rectify same.

Any member of the Honor Council related by birth or marriage to the accused or accuser shall be disqualified from participation in that hearing, with the exception that such a council member may be a witness in the hearing.

Any member of the Honor Council who has a personal interest in the outcome of the hearing may be voluntarily disqualified from participation in that hearing. Should the council be informed that a member has such a personal interest and yet said member does not self-disqualify, the council shall deliberate in private to determine whether cause exists to excuse that member from participation. Only council members shall be present during said deliberations. By a majority vote of the council (excluding the member being reviewed), the council member shall be excused from the case.

All hearing proceedings, except deliberations of the council on findings and recommendations and council deliberations regarding excusing council members from sitting on a case, shall be recorded on audio tape by the council Recorder. This tape recording shall serve as the official record of the hearing. The Honor Council procedure follows all related state laws and TBR record retention policies.

The accused should be present during all proceedings except deliberations of the council as heretofore specified. However, any part or all of the hearing may be conducted in the absence of the accused if the accused voluntarily fails to appear for the hearing or the accused willfully obstructs the progress of the hearing to such a degree that the council decides it is necessary to bar the accused from the hearing.

The accused shall be permitted to examine all evidence in the case. No evidence or testimony may be considered by the council unless such evidence or testimony has been presented in the presence of the accused or in accordance with the statements of the previous paragraph.

In the exercise of sound discretion, the Chair may reschedule a hearing date at any time prior to or after the commencement of a hearing. All parties should strive to be prepared to proceed on appointed hearing dates and avoid unnecessary delay and rescheduling. The request to reschedule the hearing may originate from any participating party or council member.

Hearing proceedings shall be conducted by the Chair or the council under the following guidelines:

1. The council shall be called to order by the Chair.
2. The Recorder shall call a roll of the council. A quorum of seven voting members shall be required before the hearing can proceed.
3. The Chair shall read the original violation report to the council.
4. The Chair shall ask the accused for a plea statement. In the case of a guilty plea, the council will dispense with full hearing on the evidence and will deliberate as to the appropriate recommendation. In this regard, the council may ask the investigation committee to make a statement of what they believe the evidence in the case would have shown. The accused shall be provided the opportunity to address the council. In the case of a not guilty plea, the council will proceed with a full hearing.
5. After entry of a plea, the accused shall be given the opportunity to remove the council members sitting on the case by the challenge procedures detailed above.
6. The case investigators shall be asked to present all witnesses and information gathered pertaining to the case. Students called before the council are to be notified personally prior to the hearing time. They shall be called individually and questioned in a dignified manner showing respect for the person being questioned. Questions will be allowed from the Chair, members of the council, the investigators, and the accused in an orderly fashion. All questions relating to procedure shall be decided by the Chair. Prior to the questioning of a student, it shall be ascertained that the student is familiar with the rules of the Honor System. In the case wherein a student is handicapped in performing any Quillen College of Medicine responsibilities because of personal attendance at a hearing, the council may recommend to the authorities involved that appropriate amends be made.
7. After the case investigators have presented all of their witnesses and evidence, the accused shall then be asked to present any evidence and/or witnesses pertinent to the defense. Questioning shall follow a format similar to that described above.
8. After the presentation of evidence by the accused, the investigators and the accused may make a closing statement to the council. The length of closing statements should be determined by the Chair after consulting the investigators and the accused.
9. After hearing the evidence and summations offered by the parties, the council shall consider its verdict in closed session. Only council members (excluding members of the investigating committee) shall be present during this closed session. The council shall choose one of the following verdicts and all council members must vote.
   1. Verdict 1: No significant violation of the Honor Code has occurred. A report of the council’s findings shall be sent in writing to the dean for the purpose of excluding any attempt to recharge the accused through alternative disciplinary procedures. The Chair shall inform the dean of the verdict and recommend that no disciplinary action of any kind be taken and that no mention whatsoever of the council’s proceedings appear in the record of the accused individual. The council may make suggestions to the individual(s) regarding future conduct with respect to the Honor System.
   2. Verdict 2: A violation of the Honor Code has occurred to the severity that this verdict should be accompanied by a recommendation that the dean take such disciplinary action as deemed necessary, up to and including an informal reprimand, and that action exceeding an informal reprimand would not be suitable. No mention whatsoever of the proceedings should appear on the record of the accused individual.
   3. Verdict 3: A violation of the Honor Code has occurred to the severity that this verdict should be accompanied by a recommendation that the dean take such disciplinary action as deemed appropriate, up to and including a formal reprimand, that action exceeding a formal reprimand would not be suitable, and that the verdict and resolutions of the council be affixed to the permanent record of the accused individual.
   4. Verdict 4: A violation of the Honor Code has occurred to the severity that this verdict should be accompanied by a recommendation that the dean take such disciplinary action as deemed appropriate, up to and including expulsion from the Quillen College of Medicine, and that the verdict and resolution of the council be affixed to the permanent record of the accused individual.
   5. In reaching a verdict the council shall proceed as follows:
      1. First consider Verdict 4. If support for Verdict 4 is unanimous, Verdict 4 is returned; if not, it fails.
      2. If Verdict 4 fails, next consider Verdict 3. If three-fourths of the council support Verdict 3, Verdict 3 is returned; if not, it fails.
      3. If Verdict 3 fails, next consider Verdict 2. If the majority of the council supports Verdict 2, Verdict 2 is returned.
      4. If Verdicts 4, 3, and 2 fail, then Verdict 1 shall be returned.
10. The accused or any witness may be recalled by the council before the verdict is reached. At that point the hearing must be reconvened.
11. Following its vote, the council shall recall the accused for the purpose of personal notification of the verdict and recommendation. The accused shall also be informed, except as heretofore provided under Verdict 1, that the verdict and recommendation will be delivered to the dean within seven days.
12. The chair shall thereafter prepare a written report of the council’s findings, verdict, and recommendation. Said report shall be signed by all members of the council who participated in the hearing. Should a member of the council who has dissented from the verdict of the council wish to submit a dissenting opinion, such dissenting opinion should be attached to the Chair’s report. Except as heretofore provided under Verdict 1, the report shall be presented to the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine within seven days after the hearing has been concluded.
13. The council’s Recorder shall be responsible for securing, filing, and maintaining all documents and/or written evidence presented to the council at the hearing and, wherein appropriate, any physical evidence presented to the council. When the accused graduates from the Quillen College of Medicine, all such documents, written evidence, and physical evidence (wherein appropriate) shall be removed from the Honor Council’s files and destroyed, with the exception that said evidence shall not be removed or destroyed while the accused’s case is still pending before any administrative body of the Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, the ETSU Board of Trustees, or while ongoing civil or criminal litigation is pending.

If an accused leaves the Quillen College of Medicine prior to the resolution of the case by the council, the Chair shall prepare a written letter to the dean indicating the nature of the alleged violation(s) and that said case has not been resolved by the council due to the accused’s departure from school. This letter shall be placed in the accused’s permanent record. Should the accused be permitted to return to the Quillen College of Medicine, the dean may require the accused to appear before the council and resolve the pending case. Should the council thereafter determine that Verdict 1 or Verdict 2 is an appropriate resolution of the case, the dean may remove the aforementioned Chair’s letter from the student’s permanent record. The president of the university is authorized, in his or her discretion, to subsequently convert any sanction imposed by the dean to a lesser sanction, or to rescind any previous sanction, in appropriate cases.

Procedure for Amendments to the Appendix

Students and full-time faculty are encouraged to participate in the amendment process in order to develop a successful Honor System. Amendments to the Honor System Procedural Appendix may be proposed by a petition signed by two-thirds of the entire voting Honor Council, by a petition signed by ten percent of the medical students or by a petition signed by ten percent of the Quillen College of Medicine full-time faculty. A referendum election will be held within six weeks after receipt of the proposed amendment. Amendments to the Procedural Appendix must be approved by one-half of the students voting, provided that at least fifty percent of the students have voted. Proposed amendments will take effect upon their subsequent ratification by one-half of the full-time faculty voting, provided that at least fifty percent of the faculty eligible to vote have done so.

This policy is promulgated pursuant to, and in compliance with, TBR Rule 0240-02-03-.03 Academic and Classroom Misconduct and TBR Rule 0240-02-03-.06 Disciplinary Procedures and Due Process. To the extend that a conflict exists between these policies and TBR rule, policy and/or applicable law(s), the TBR rule, policy and/or law will control. Adopted by TBR: 12/8/11; effective 1/29/12.

Students, along with faculty, staff, and administrators are all members of the East Tennessee State University community. Inherent with such membership is the responsibility to conduct oneself reasonably to maintain a civil community that respects the rights of all individuals. The student has certain rights guaranteed by the Federal and State Constitutions or statutorily created legislation including:

• Freedom of inquiry, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression that is respectful or sensitive to the rights of individuals.
• The right to peaceably assemble, in accordance with federal, state, local, and ETSU regulations.
• Religious freedom and a clear division of church and state.
• Freedom from unreasonable search and/or seizure of person, or personal property.
• Freedom from discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, age, race, color, religion, national origin, or other protected status.
• The right to privacy, including the maintenance of confidential records in accordance with provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and 1975, qualified by the Tennessee Open Records Law.
• The right to due process.

The ETSU Board of Trustees grants additional rights including:

• The right to due process in disciplinary procedures of the university, including written notification of charges, an explanation of procedures, and a hearing before an appropriate administrator or committee.
• The right to expeditious review of disciplinary sanctions upon appeal.
• The right to participate in the decision-making process of the university through the Student Government Association, other student governance organizations, and membership on university standing and advisory committees.
• The right to affiliate with officially registered student organizations if the membership requirements of those organizations have been met, and the right to seek to establish, through official procedures, additional student organizations of one’s choosing.

East Tennessee State University acknowledges that students have a legitimate expectation that:

• Classes meet as scheduled, and begin and adjourn on time.
• Course requirements are clearly specified.
• The instructor is prepared for class and possesses both oral and written communications skills.
• Paper project grades and test results are received in a timely manner.
• Information about progress in coursework is provided.
• The instructor is qualified to teach the subject matter.

Additionally, students have the right to expect:

• Accurate information concerning institutional services, regulations, policies, and procedures, in published form.
• Representation in the university governance system.
• Sound and accurate academic advice, information regarding courses required for graduation, and their schedule sequence.
• Reasonable notice of any changes in academic requirements or programs and assurance that such changes will not be made in a way that unduly impedes the academic progress of the student already enrolled.
• Flexibility in course scheduling (by dropping and adding) or withdrawing within university guidelines.
• Information about the various types of financial assistance available.
• Freedom to evaluate courses, programs and services, and provide input to appropriate segments of the campus administration.

Advanced placement in a specific course(s) will be determined upon the recommendation of the course director and departmental chair to the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs. Enrolled medical students who believe they qualify for advanced placement in a course(s) should make formal application through the Office of Academic Affairs. If awarding of advanced placement is approved, credit will be recorded on the student’s academic record using the grade of “P”. The credit hours for the course will be recorded on record under the heading “earned hours” and will not be used in the computation of the quality point average.

East Tennessee State University is committed to maintaining a learning environment that promotes student academic excellence and personal development. Various departments on campus have written procedures that allow students to appeal actions taken by the department that directly affect the student. Students who wish to appeal a specific decision should contact the appropriate department and request an appeal form. Students should contact the Office of Student Services if they have concerns or complaints about policies, procedures, or personnel; their academic advisement or other academic issues, including an action based upon academic policies, procedures, or deadlines; or the offices of Admissions, Records, Financial Services, or Student Support Services.

Student complaints concerning sexual, racial, disability, and other harassment should be filed with the ETSU Office of Equity and Diversity. When the charge of harassment is by one student against another student, the complaint should be filed with the Associate Dean of Student Services.

In every instance, the appropriate individual will investigate the complaint, seek an equitable solution, and respond to the student in a timely manner.

It is expected that a student will attend classes regularly. Each department within the university has the right to set an attendance policy. Departmental class attendance policy is subject to approval by the Dean. At the beginning of each course, faculty must provide a written statement governing attendance policy for the course so that all students will be fully informed of their attendance responsibilities, including penalties which may be imposed for failing to meet these responsibilities. It is the student’s responsibility to know the policy. Leave request forms can be found at https://www.etsu.edu/com/msec/forms.php.

M1-M2 Attendance/Leave 

Students pursuing the MD degree at Quillen College of Medicine are physicians in training who must meet standards of professional conduct and responsibility (Institutional Objective 5.0 Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles). As a professional school, Quillen requires attendance and active participation in all components of the curriculum, as defined by course directors. Active participation in the School’s course activities indicates the student’s understanding and mastery of professional responsibilities. The M1-M2 Leave Request Form is used to document the approval of Medical and/or Educational Leave/Quillen Activity and becomes part of this policy. 

View full policy at: MSEC-0417-21

M3 Attendance/Leave 

Students pursuing the MD degree at Quillen College of Medicine are physicians in training who must meet standards of professional conduct and responsibility (Institutional Objective 5.0 Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles) to develop into effective physicians. As a professional school, Quillen requires attendance and active participation in all components of the curriculum, as defined by clerkship directors. Active participation in the School’s course and clerkship activities indicates the student’s understanding and mastery of professional responsibilities. The M3 Leave Request Form is to be used to request approval of Medical and/or Educational Leave/Quillen Activity and becomes part of this policy.

View full policy at: MSEC-0316-13

M4 Attendance/Leave 

Students pursuing the MD degree at Quillen College of Medicine are physicians in training who must meet standards of professional conduct and responsibility to develop into effective physicians. Institutional Objective 5.0: Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles. As a professional school, Quillen requires attendance and active participation in all components of the curriculum, as defined by course directors. Active participation in the School’s course activities indicates the student’s understanding and mastery of professional responsibilities. The M4 Request for Permission to be Absent Form is used to document the approval of Medical and/or Residency Interview and/or Quillen Activity and/or Other leave and becomes part of this policy.

View full policy at: MSEC-0111-4

The College of Medicine reports grades in all courses and clerkships as Pass or Fail, or otherwise as noted in this policy. Course and clerkship directors are responsible for determining the grades to be assigned to students. The distribution of the grades assigned will also be the responsibility of the course and clerkship directors.

View full policy at: MSEC-0319-25

Before withdrawing (resigning) from medical school, any student should seek and consider the thoughtful and informed advice of others in whom they trust. Faculty members should be consulted and the Offices of Student Services and Academic Affairs are available to assist in any way possible. Students who wish to withdraw (resign) from the College of Medicine may do so at any time. The student is to inform the dean in writing of the reason(s) for the withdrawal. Applications of students seeking readmission under these circumstances will be considered by the Admissions Committee.

A leave of absence from curricula in the College of Medicine may be granted by the administration for medical or personal reasons, or in the instance of emergencies. Leaves of absence are limited to a maximum of two years and do not change the time limit for graduation except by specific action of the Promotions Committee. A leave of absence under any other condition may be granted by the dean.

Basis for appeal

A student may appeal a course grade if there is evidence that the grade was assigned in a malicious, capricious, erroneous, or arbitrary manner. The following steps provide a guideline for the appeals process. All persons concerned with this process should make every attempt to adhere to the approximate time schedule outlined in the following description of the appeals process. No appeal will be considered later than one year following the date the grade was assigned.

Appeal to the faculty member for review of the assigned grade

Within three weeks after the beginning of the next term, excluding summer school, the student should discuss the assigned grade with the faculty member. If it is found that the assigned grade is incorrect in the judgment of the faculty member, the appropriate change will be made. At this point the matter is concluded. If the faculty member is no longer with the university, the student should confer with the departmental chair who will then make every effort to receive written input concerning the grade from the former faculty member. If this is not possible, the student may appeal the grade as described below. The departmental chair will represent the interests of the faculty member who issued the grade.

Appeal to the departmental chair

If the question of the assigned grade cannot be resolved between the student and the faculty member, the student may appeal in writing to the chair of the department in which the course was taught. If at all possible, the written appeal to the chair should be made by the end of the fourth week of the term. The student should include all known information relating to the appeal. After receiving such an appeal from the student, the chair shall review with the faculty member the substance of the student’s appeal and seek to determine its validity.

If the chair determines that the assigned grade is inappropriate, the chair should recommend to the faculty member that the grade be changed. The faculty member may or may not concur with the recommendation.

The chair will notify the student in writing, usually within ten days of the appeal, whether or not the assigned grade will be changed. If the grade is changed to the student’s satisfaction, the matter is concluded. If the grade will not be changed, the chair will also advise the student of the right of appeal to the dean of the college.

If the grade will not be changed, copies of all written communication mentioned above should be sent by the chair to the dean.

Appeal to the college dean

If the grade is not changed to the satisfaction of the student at the departmental level, the student may appeal the assigned grade in writing to the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. The appeal shall be prepared in writing by the student in consultation with the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs of the Quillen College of Medicine. The Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine may follow one of two procedures. The dean may discuss the case with the student, the faculty member, the chair of the department in which the course was taught, and the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs of the Quillen College of Medicine.

Following these discussions, the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine may make a recommendation to the faculty member, the student, and the departmental chair. If this results in an acceptable solution to all parties, the matter is concluded. If not, the appeal will be forwarded to the Student Promotions Committee, which will serve as the hearing body. The dean may appoint the Student Promotions Committee as a hearing body upon receiving the initial appeal.

The Student Promotions Committee will submit to the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine a written report containing a recommendation for a specific course of action regarding the student’s grade appeal. If the committee cannot reach a conclusion, the written report will be submitted to the dean, with the reason why the committee failed to reach a decision.

The Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine will then recommend a solution that may or may not contain some or all of the recommendations of the Student Promotions Committee. This decision will be relayed in writing to the student. In the absence of further appeal, the opinion rendered by the Dean becomes final.

Appeal to the Vice President for Health Affairs

If either the student or the faculty member believes that due process has not been afforded, a written appeal may be made to the Vice President for Health Affairs; otherwise, the decision of the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine is final. Such an appeal, based upon denial of due process and specifically identifying the failure of the process, must be initiated in writing within two weeks from the time the dean reports the decision to the appropriate individuals.

Students who believe they have been mistreated on an academic matter are entitled to an independent review of the alleged offense followed by corrective action, if appropriate. This procedure does not apply to instances in which a student has been recommended for suspension or dismissal. A student’s appeal process in the latter instances is described in the Student Promotions Committee policies and procedures. The guidelines are applicable only in those cases wherein there is a perceived academic impropriety arising from an action taken by (a) an individual instructor, (b) a department, or (c) a committee charged to administer academic policies or criteria of a particular school or department. They do not pertain to complaints expressing dissatisfaction with a university policy of general application to all students.

The grievance procedures are as follows:

1. The student should first discuss the perceived offense, orally or in writing, with the individual(s) most closely responsible. If no resolution results, the student should then consult with the relevant departmental chair. In those cases wherein there is no departmental chair, consultation should then be with an individual or a representative of the regulatory committee charged by the faculty with administering that school’s academic policies. Every effort should be made to resolve the issue at this informal level, without the complaint attaining the status of a formal grievance.
2. If informal means of resolution prove inadequate, the student should set forth in writing the substance of the alleged offense, the grounds on which the student is basing the complaint and the efforts taken to date to resolve the matter; this document then should be submitted to the dean (or designee) for adjudication. It is at this point that the complaint becomes a formal grievance. A grievance should be filed in a timely fashion, i.e., before the end of the semester or clinical period following the semester or clinical period in which the alleged offense occurred or should reasonably have been discovered.
3. Upon receipt of the student’s written grievance, the dean (or designee) will initiate a timely and independent investigation into the matter (typically to be completed within thirty days). The investigator may request a written response to the issue raised in the grievance from the pertinent faculty, staff member(s) or departmental chair. The grievant will be given an opportunity to comment in writing on the response(s). Upon completion of the investigation, the dean (or designee) will prepare and transmit to both the grievant and the pertinent academic personnel written findings and dispositive recommendations that the dean has authority to implement.
4. If the grievant or the party against whom the grievance was lodged disagrees with the dean’s recommendations, either on substantive or procedural grounds, an appeal may be made in writing to the Vice-President for Health Affairs. The written appeal must specify the substantive bases on which such appeal is being made (i.e., the appeal must be made on grounds other than general dissatisfaction with the recommended disposition) and must be directed to the issues in the grievance as filed, not to new issues. No more than thirty days should elapse between receipt of the recommendations submitted by the dean and the written appeal to the Vice-President for Health Affairs.
5. Upon receipt of the appeal and by a process chosen by the Faculty Advisory Council, a timely independent review of the grievance (normally to be completed within thirty days) will be conducted. Upon completion, the Vice-President for Health Affairs shall remit to all appropriate parties written findings and dispositive recommendations that will be final and binding on the parties to the grievance within the jurisdiction of the Quillen College of Medicine.

Students should be aware that the Associate Dean for Student Affairs has a relatively wide authority of inquiry, including investigating student complaints against instructors, but has no decision-making authority. The Office of Student Services is available to all students to discuss any troublesome matter of university concern and frequently helps expedite the resolution of such matters.

Through elective opportunities students may individualize their educational experiences based on their own needs and interests.  Electives should both broaden and balance the overall educational development of each student while allowing for career exploration and preparation for graduate medical education and residency training.  M4 students are encouraged to participate in electives to gain exposure to and deepen their understanding of medical specialties reflecting their career interests and to pursue their individual academic interests.  M4 students are encouraged to participate in away electives to gain a different perspective on their chosen specialty while experiencing a different clinical environment.

View full policy at: MSEC 1018-23

To provide students pre-departure training and post-experience reflection opportunity; insure student travel to an international location which is prepared to provide the student appropriate level of supervision and assessment; relative security; and to comply with ETSU requirements to travel abroad.

View full policy here: ADMIN-0919-10

An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is required at the beginning of the M3 year at which time students demonstrate clinical proficiency.  The successful demonstration of proficiency is a requirement for promotion to the M4 year and for graduation. The Office of Academic Affairs will be provided documentation of completion of the competency once it had been attained.

View full policy here: MSEC-0610-1

To ensure comparable educational and assessment methods within each course and M3 clerkship for all students.  Standardizing how learners are assessed and how grades are determined is key in ensuring comparability.

View full policy at: MSEC-1018-24

Each clerkship has identified required and/or suggested procedures and/or patient types for all students to experience during the clerkship.

View full policy at: MSEC 0313-14

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation is the means by which medical schools provide an assessment of students’ academic performance and professional attributes in medical school to graduate medical education program directors as a component of the residency application process.

View full policy here: ADMIN-0916-1

Students are expected to take exams on the dates scheduled.  The examination schedule for years one and two is published by the beginning of each semester.  Third year exam dates are published at the beginning of each academic year. 

View full policy here: MSEC-0515-11

To provide consistency in the development of grading structures between all M3 Clerkships, the M3 clerkship Exam and Grading Policy is identified for use in all clerkships.

View full policy here: MSEC-001-3

QCOM policy requires that student concerns or feedback about any exam questions must be presented through: i) the exam software feedback functions or on scratch paper provided during the exam; or ii) immediately after an exam in an exam review session moderated by course faculty. Which of these feedback mechanisms will be used in a course is at the discretion of the course director. Allowing student feedback on specific questions is intended to help faculty improve exam effectiveness.  Student feedback during or immediately after the exam will be used by course faculty in conjunction with psychometric information to make decisions about inclusion of or modification of exam questions or scoring.  Question challenges for the purpose of changing individual student grades is prohibited.  This policy does not preclude the AERC from discussing general student feedback, collected as described above, on exams with course directors.  It also does not preclude a course director from discussing with a student an analysis of that student’s exam performance in order to advise that student on academic performance.

View full policy here: MSEC-1212-5

MSEC approved use of the NBME score conversion tables (provides the percent correct associated with various scaled scores) that would allow a linear regression (curve) to be used to give scores above the previously set 90^th percentile and scores below the previously set 10^th percentile.  Course directors will have the discretion as to whether they cap scores at 100% or give higher scores. Course Syllabi should contain the specific course grade scale.  

View full policy here: MSEC-1212-12

To protect and maximize student learning time and opportunities for unstructured, independent and self-directed learning with the formal/structured curriculum, required curricular activities are not to conflict with, nor overlap with, structured curricular time nor the unstructured, independent and self-directed learning blocks. Scheduled time includes both the amount of scheduled classroom events delineated in the class calendar (including both instruction and assessment) as well as the anticipated amount of time (as determined by faculty) to complete pre-session preparatory material. On average, Preclerkship scheduled time should not exceed 28 hours per week.  In addition, on average no more than four (4) hours per day should be based in classroom lecture.

Scheduled time includes both the amount of scheduled classroom events delineated in the class calendar (including both instruction and assessment) as well as the anticipated amount of time (as determined by faculty) to complete pre-session preparatory material.  On average pre-clerkship scheduled time should not exceed 28 hours per week.  In addition, on average no more than four (4) hours per day should be based in classroom lecture.

View full policy at: MSEC-1112-9

A written narrative description of a medical student’s performance, including his or her non-cognitive achievement, will be included as a component of the assessment in each required course and clerkship of the medical education program whenever teacher-student interaction permits this form of assessment (i.e., courses in which an individual faculty member has sufficient interaction with an individual student such as small groups). Narrative assessment can be formative and/or summative (see also policy on Formative Feedback).

View full policy here: MSEC-1016-15

Formative feedback is that feedback provided each medical student to allow them to monitor and improve their performance in meeting course/clerkship objectives, including identifying strengths as well as weaknesses. It communicates the preceptor’s/faculty member’s assessment of the students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes based upon formal assessment or other observations. This feedback must be provided to each medical student in sufficient time to allow for any needed remediation. Formal feedback occurs at least by the mid-point of a course or clerkship. Feedback must be of adequate detail to assure that the student can appreciate deficiencies in his/her performance and develop a plan to improve performance and achievement of course/clerkship objectives.

View full policy here: MSEC-1016-16

Students need fair and timely summative assessment based on their performance in order to monitor their performance, accurately understand their progress, develop study plans and prepare for attaining expected learning outcomes.  This policy addresses and describes QCOM expectations about the provision of such feedback.

View full policy here: MSEC-0417-17

The college’s goal is to promote safety in patient care and maximize students’ development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to enter the practice of medicine. The policy outlines the requirements to be followed when supervising medical students.

View full policy at: MSEC-0617-19

QCOM has two (2) parallel curriculum tracks; Generalist Track and Rural Primary Care Track (RPCT).  Once enrolled in one of the curriculum tracks the student will complete their QCOM curriculum in the enrolled track. Students may find that their circumstances change and request a change from one curriculum track to the other at the end of an academic year. The student request will be received and considered provided the procedures outlined in this policy are followed and space is available in the curriculum track to which they are requesting transfer.

View full policy at: MSEC-1017-20

Student Promotions Committee

The purpose of the committee is to review, on a continuing basis, the total performance of each individual student. The review will include consideration of all cognitive, non-cognitive and professionalism assessments that have been submitted. The committee is charged by the dean to serve in an advisory capacity to the dean.

The Quillen College of Medicine has a single standard for the advancement and graduation of medical students across all locations and utilizes a fair and formal process for taking any action that may affect the status of a medical student, including timely notice of the impending action, disclosure of the evidence on which the action would be based, an opportunity for the medical student to respond, and an opportunity to appeal any adverse decision related to advancement, graduation, or dismissal

View full policy here: SPROMO-0918-002

Student Promotions Committee Professionalism

The purpose of the committee is to review, on a continuing basis, the total performance of each individual student. The review will include consideration of all cognitive, non-cognitive and professionalism assessments that have been submitted. The committee is charged by the dean to serve in an advisory capacity to the dean. The Quillen College of Medicine has a single standard for the advancement and graduation of medical students across all locations and utilizes a fair and formal process for taking any action that may affect the status of a medical student, including timely notice of the impending action, disclosure of the evidence on which the action would be based, an opportunity for the medical student to respond, and an opportunity to appeal any adverse decision related to advancement, graduation, or dismissal.

View full policy here: SPROMO-0418-001

Student Promotions Committee USMLE

“The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) is a three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States and is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®).

The USMLE step exams assess a medical student’s ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills, that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care.

Step 1 assesses whether you understand and can apply important concepts of the sciences basic to the practice of medicine, with special emphasis on principles and mechanisms underlying health, disease, and modes of therapy.

Step 2 CK assesses whether you apply medical knowledge, skills, and understanding of clinical science essential for the provision of patient care under supervision and includes an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.

Step 2 CS uses standardized patients to test medical students and graduates on their ability to gather information from patients, perform physical examinations, and communicate their findings to patients and colleagues.

Step 3 assesses whether you can apply medical knowledge and understanding of biomedical and clinical science essential for the unsupervised practice of medicine with an emphasis on patient management in ambulatory settings;   Step 3 is usually taken during residency.

Definition: *for the purpose of this policy the fall semester consists of periods 1-4 of the six-week clerkships and periods 1-3 of the eight-week clerkships as denoted on the M3 academic calendar.

Students are responsible for being aware of USMLE reporting periods to ensure a score is returned prior to defined dates.

Students are responsible for the timely application and payment of all fees and expenses related to the examinations. Information and applications are available at http://www.usmle.org

View full policy here: SPROMO-0519-003

The purpose of the committee is to review, on a continuing basis, the total performance of each individual student. The review will include consideration of all cognitive, non-cognitive and professionalism assessments that have been submitted. The committee is charged by the dean to serve in an advisory capacity to the dean.

The Quillen College of Medicine has a single standard for the advancement and graduation of medical students across all locations and utilizes a fair and formal process for taking any action that may affect the status of a medical student, including timely notice of the impending action, disclosure of the evidence on which the action would be based, an opportunity for the medical student to respond, and an opportunity to appeal any adverse decision related to advancement, graduation, or dismissal.

View full policy here: ADMIN 0919-09

The M.D. degree is awarded after completion of all degree requirements and upon recommendation of the Student Promotions Committee as the representative body of the faculty. The Quillen College of Medicine Graduation ceremony is held in the spring of each year. Attendance at the Graduation ceremony is required. Petitions for graduation in absentia must be submitted in writing to the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs.

It is the policy of East Tennessee State University that only students who have met degree requirements will be permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies. All Quillen students are expected to attend and participate in the graduation ceremony appropriate to the date they complete their degree requirements. Students who finish requirements for the degree after the regularly scheduled graduation date and prior to the next regularly scheduled enrollment period for the college, may be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony without receiving a diploma.

The only students who will be permitted to “walk” (participate in the graduation ceremony without receiving a diploma) are those who will complete all requirements for the degree prior to the beginning of the next regularly scheduled enrollment period. To participate in the spring graduation, all requirements must be completed by June 15th. If an additional period of enrollment is required, the student will participate in the next regularly scheduled graduation ceremony.

To receive permission to participate in the graduation ceremony under these special conditions the student must seek permission through the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs at least one week prior. For those graduating “off schedule” the Quillen College of Medicine diploma will be ordered once all requirements are met and will be forwarded to the graduate by the Registrar’s Office. The date of graduation on the diploma will reflect the date on which all requirements were successfully completed.

All entering students are required to provide documentation of current immunizations for Diphtheria, Pertusis, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B and Varicella prior to their initial enrollment. Additionally, students are required to provide evidence of immunity to Hepatitis B by obtaining a blood serum titer following completion of the Hepatitis B vaccination series. Students whose Hepatitis B titer is negative will be required to repeat the vaccination series and obtain an additional titer. Entering students are also required to have on record the results of a recently completed physical examination, as well as the results of a Tuberculosis (TB) skin test taken prior to initial registration. If the TB skin test is positive, the student must also provide documentation of treatment or management. Students whose TB skin test results are negative are required to have the TB skin test performed annually. Students are required to receive an influenza immunization annually in order to participate in clinical activities. 

All documentation should be uploaded to myRecordTracker.com. Uploaded documentation of the hepatitis titer must include a copy of the laboratory report indicating a numerical value for the surface antibody.

Students who are unable to comply with the requirements due to extenuating circumstances should contact the Office of Student Services, which will determine the appropriate action.

These requirements are based on standards established by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration for health care workers, as well as the Centers for Disease Control; as a result they surpass those normally required of college students.

The purpose of this policy is to assure that all medical students, including visiting students, are educated about methods of preventing exposure to infectious and environmental hazards; the procedures for care and treatment after exposure, financial responsibility, and the effects of infectious and environmental disease or disability on medical student learning activities. The policy also informs medical providers, faculty and ETSU affiliated medical clinics of the responsibility and required procedures for students to complete following exposure to body fluids and blood-borne or air-borne pathogens.

View full policy here: ADMIN-0519-4

Medical students requiring health care are directed to the East Tennessee State University Student Health Services on the ETSU main campus (Suite 160 Roy S. Nicks Hall, Phone: 1-423-439-4225, After-Hours: 1-888-915-7299).

View full policy here: ADMIN 0619-7

To provide students the opportunity to have educational experiences free of conflicts of interest and the ability to request alternative site assignments based on personal, medical/health care or unforeseen circumstances, including conflict of interest/dual relationship with a faculty member or clinical instructor.

Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest/dual relationship occurs when a personal or financial relationship exists that might compromise, or appear to compromise, objectivity, judgment, or integrity in performing academic roles and responsibilities.  A dual relationship also exists where a health professional has provided any type of health service, including psychiatric/psychological counseling to a student.  The health professional is to have no involvement in the academic assessment or promotion of the medical student receiving those services.

View full policy here: MSEC-1018-22

Health and Disability

The College of Medicine does not provide health insurance, but requires all medical students are to have adequate health, accident, and disability income insurance as a condition of enrollment. Students under the age of 26 years may be covered by their parents’ health insurance.  Otherwise, students must purchase coverage from an outside vendor with funds provided in the financial aid package to cover health insurance premiums.  Proof of insurance must be provided to the Office of Student Affairs by uploading documentation to MyRecordTracker.  Disability income insurance is purchased through an AMA-sponsored program. The annual fee is included on the fall semester bill.  For more information, please refer to https://www.etsu.edu/com/studentsvcs/healthcareinsurance/insurance.php. 

Professional Liability

The College of Medicine provides professional liability insurance (often referred to as malpractice insurance) for students. Liability insurance protects students from claims of negligence that may arise while participating in educational activities that are a part of the medical education program. The coverage does not extend to activities that are outside of the degree of program. Students with questions regarding this coverage should contact the Office of Student Services, Room C223, Stanton-Gerber Hall, phone (423) 439-2019.

Many hospitals and other clinical facilities now require medical students (as well as employees) to have drug screens to work or train in their facilities. It is the current policy of the Quillen College of Medicine to require a ten-panel urine drug screen of all students prior to matriculation and annually thereafter at randomly selected times. Some hospitals or other clinical facilities may require current drug screens so that they may need to be repeated at different intervals. Students will be notified by the administration of the requirements of the clinical facility. In the case of away electives arranged by the student, the student will be responsible for determining the requirements of the facility. Any student requiring a drug screen must email the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The Associate Dean will then notify Certiphi of the request. Screening will be performed by an approved provider. All drug screens completed must be officially reported to the Quillen College of Medicine as a condition of continued enrollment. The results of all drug screens will be deemed medical information by the College and will be maintained as such.

The required drug screen will be performed by a college-approved provider of this service. All expenses for the test will be the responsibility of the student. The current standard is the ten-panel urine drug screen. The college may require additional or further tests as deemed appropriate by the college in the future for various situations, including for suspicion of inappropriate drug use.

If the drug screen identifies issues that may negatively impact a student’s participation in further academic activities, the initial step in the evaluation will be to require the student provide official documentation of all current prescriptions. This information, along with the results of the drug screen, will be reviewed by a qualified physician. If this physician determines that no further action/explanation is needed, then the results of the drug screen may be provided to the hospital(s) requiring it so that they can make a determination of their willingness to allow the student into their facilities.

If concerns are unresolved after the reviewing physician evaluates the results of all drug screens, the case will be referred immediately to the Criminal Background Administrative and Drug Screen Committee (CBADSC) for evaluation and determination of an appropriate course of action. The CBADSC is comprised of the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The CBADSC will be responsible for making recommendations to the Dean in all such matters. The CBADSC may require additional information from the student.

Upon proper notification and release by the student, drug screen results may be provided to hospitals or other institutions as required for student participation.

Should the results of drug screens preclude a student from being able to complete the clinical rotations required in the curriculum, the student is subject to dismissal or other administrative action.

Since medical students have the privilege of caring for patients who are ill, they assume the risk of all health care workers being exposed to communicable diseases. Although all precautions are taken to minimize this risk, (e.g. immunizations required for admission to medical school), it cannot be totally eliminated. If exposure to potential bloodborne pathogens occurs (e.g. through a needle-stick), the student must immediately fulfill all responsibilities required by the facility in which the exposure occurred. This will frequently involve medical testing and treatment for the student that may include some financial obligation by the student. The student must submit appropriate incident reports to the facility where exposure occurred and to the Office of Student Services. Students are ultimately responsible for the costs related to evaluation and treatment of such exposures. Students are required to file a claim with their health insurance provider for charges stemming from post-exposure management. Financial assistance is available to help students pay for charges associated with the initial testing that are in excess of insurance payments. Students should contact the Office of Student Services for help in arranging such assistance. This stipulation holds for all such accidents that may occur while students are fulfilling educational responsibilities.

Dress Code

Medical students should maintain a neat, clean personal appearance and dress in a professional manner at all times. Since students are intimately involved with patients and members of the health care team, wearing reasonable clothing and avoiding extremes of dress is imperative. Inappropriate attire can interfere with one’s ability to carry out specific functions as a medical student. Thus, it is important that all involved as members of the health care team do everything in their power to ease the discomforts of illness and hospitalization. Uncleanliness or improper attire might provoke uneasiness or negative feelings in patients. The physician in practice has the right to decide what specific appearance facilitates the accomplishment of the task, but while attending the Quillen College of Medicine, the task is best accomplished by a reasonable degree of conformity.

Student ID Badge

During orientation a clip-on identification badge bearing the photograph and legal name of each student will be provided without charge. Students are required to wear the name badge at all times. All College of Medicine students are required to conspicuously display this ID badge when they are in the hospitals or clinics of the college. This badge remains the property of the Quillen College of Medicine and must be surrendered upon termination of enrollment. If this badge is lost or stolen, the student is requested to immediately notify the I.D. Office in the D.P. Culp Center, (423) 439-4286. A replacement fee will be charged. Also, all students must obtain a permanent East Tennessee State University ID card in order to have full access to all university facilities and services. This card will not only provide students identification, but will also allow students to create a debit card account for convenient use in the university bookstore, comptroller’s office, health clinic, food services, vending machines, laundry facilities, Center for Physical Activity and controlled access to residence halls and other facilities. IDs will be issued during orientation or at the ID office during the term.

All assignments must provide meaningful educational value. Excessive work hours and fatigue can impact medical student learning just as it impacts patient care.

View full policy at: MSEC-0910-6

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law which protects the health information of individuals. This information is called Protected Health Information (PHI). Medical students will routinely be exposed to PHI during clinical rotations.

As part of their orientation to medical school, students will receive HIPAA training, which will be required to be completed annually thereafter. HIPAA violations can result in significant federal penalties for both individuals and organizations. Quillen College of Medicine regards HIPAA violations as serious offenses.

Discussion of patient cases in educational conferences and among students for educational purposes is not a HIPAA violation, though care should be taken to protect patient privacy. However, if such PHI was disseminated beyond these settings, particularly external to the College of Medicine, it would likely be a HIPAA violation. Use of PHI in research requires approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Medical students who do not know if a particular use of PHI is appropriate should ask their supervisor or contact ETSU HIPAA Compliance Office for guidance.

Examples of HIPAA Violations include the following:

• Unauthorized copying of medical records
• Leaving PHI in a public area 
• Discussing PHI in a non-secure area
• Posting PHI on any social networking site
• Removing medical records from a hospital or clinic without proper authority
• Unapproved accessing of PHI when the student is not involved in the care of the particular patient
• Access of one’s own medical chart within the electronic medical record
• Intentionally assisting another person in gaining unauthorized access to PHI
• Inappropriate sharing of ID/Password with another person
• Disclosure or abusive use of PHI
• Tampering with or unauthorized destruction of information
• Unauthorized delivery of PHI to any third party.

These examples represent varying levels of severity.

Review and disciplinary actions for HIPAA violations can range from verbal counseling through dismissal from medical school based on the severity of the violation. Each violation is evaluated on a case by case basis.  Suspected violations should be reported to the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs immediately. The HIPAA Compliance Officer will be consulted for a recommendation prior to consideration by the Student Promotions Committee which will make an action recommendation. The student may appeal the recommendation of the Student Promotions Committee to the Dean. Final determination will be made by the Dean based on the recommendations of the committee and the HIPAA Compliance Officer.

Quillen College of Medicine has a responsibility to foster the development of professional and collegial attitudes needed to provide caring and compassionate health care by all members of the Quillen
College of Medicine community, including medical students, graduate students, resident physicians, faculty, and other staff who participate in the educational process. An atmosphere of mutual respect and collegiality is essential to nurture these attitudes and promote an effective learning environment. The diversity of members of the academic community combined with the intensity of interactions that occur in the health care setting may lead to incidents of mistreatment.

The policy on mistreatment prevention has three main components.

1. A statement of Quillen College of Medicine standards of behavior with regard to mistreatment, including: a definition of mistreatment; examples of types of mistreatment; persons who may be the object or perpetrator of mistreatment; and the purpose of the policy on mistreatment.
2. A plan for the ongoing education of the Quillen College of Medicine community concerning these standards of behavior and the process by which they are upheld.
3. A description of the Quillen College of Medicine process for responding to allegations of mistreatment.

Note: Accusations of racial or gender discrimination or harassment are not handled under this policy, but rather by the ETSU Office of Equity and Diversity. Similarly, disputes about grades are handled under the Quillen College of Medicine Academic Grievance Procedures and Grade Appeal Process.

Mistreatment in the learning environment

Mistreatment, a form of professional misconduct, is defined as improper use or handling of an individual(s). It may cause the subject to become more cynical about the medical profession, may interfere with the learning process, may cause talented individuals to abandon medical training, and may promote an atmosphere in which abuse is accepted and perpetuated in medical training.

Examples of inappropriate and unacceptable behavior include harmful, injurious, or offensive conduct; verbal attacks; insults or unjustifiably harsh language in speaking to or about a person; public belittling or humiliation; threats of physical harm; physical attacks (e.g., hitting, slapping, or kicking a person); requiring performance of personal services (e.g., shopping, baby sitting); threatening with a lower grade or poor evaluation for reasons other than course/clinical performance; sexual harassment; discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic background, age, or physical disability; intentional neglect or lack of communication; taking credit for another individual’s work; disregard for student safety; or any other behavior that is contrary to the spirit of learning and/or violates the trust between the teacher and learner.

Ongoing education to prevent mistreatment

To promote an environment respectful of all individuals, the Quillen College of Medicine will provide ongoing education to students, residents, fellows, faculty, and other staff that emphasizes the importance of professional and collegial attitudes and behavior. The materials and methods for providing this education will be the responsibility of the faculty in consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Education of the Quillen College of Medicine community concerning mistreatment serves to promote a positive learning environment. This is characterized by attitudes of mutual respect and collegiality. Education will alert all members of the Quillen College of Medicine community to expected standards of behavior. Education will also inform persons who believe they have been mistreated of the avenues for redress and will inform all concerned parties of the policies and processes for responding to allegations of mistreatment.

The methods for the education of specific groups are described below.

Medical Students

1. The policy will be included in the Catalog.
2. The topic will be addressed at all orientations.
3. Each department is encouraged to include this topic in the course policies for each preclinical course and each clinical rotation.

Resident Physicians and Fellows

1. The policy will be included in the Resident Handbook.
2. The topic will be addressed at the annual resident physician orientation.
3. The clinical department chairs are encouraged to ensure all their fellows and residents are cognizant of the policy.

Faculty and Graduate Students

1. An informative written message will be sent each year from the Dean’s Office to all departmental chairs.
2. The dean will direct the chairs to convey the information to all faculty and graduate students within their respective departments.
3. They will also direct the course directors, clerkship directors, and program directors to convey this information to all adjunct faculty who participate in the teaching process in order to ensure that all faculty are cognizant of the policy.

Nursing and Other Clinical/Support Staff

An informative written message will be sent each year from the Dean’s Office to the Chief Executive Officer at each training site to explain the policy and to request its distribution to all staff interacting with COM trainees.

Process for responding to allegations of mistreatment

When an allegation of mistreatment occurs, the parties directly involved should try to resolve the matter informally. Methods to resolve the issue informally may include: direct discussion between parties, involvement of course/clerkship directors, or departmental chairs. If this informal approach is unsuccessful, a more structured process is available within the Quillen College of Medicine for resolving the matter prior to filing a complaint within the larger university system.

This process is designed to be fair to both the accuser and the accused. It is also designed to be impartial, effective, and unlikely to result in retaliation for the accuser.

Evidence and memories tend to deteriorate with time, therefore, complaints should be introduced without delay. Whenever possible, this should be initiated within a four-month period of the incident.

Requests for a delay in these proceedings shall be at the discretion of the Grievance Officer.

The Grievance Officer

The position of Grievance Officer has been established to help resolve conflicts by mediating between the conflicting parties and striving for reconciliation. Either the accuser or the accused may contact the Grievance Officer to seek assistance in resolving the conflict. Both parties will be encouraged to resolve the problem between themselves, but will also have the Grievance Officer available as a facilitator of this process. To achieve neutrality, the officer is chosen from the non-teaching faculty in the Quillen College of Medicine and is appointed to this position by the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. The Grievance Officer is accountable to the dean concerning advocacy issues.

The Conflict Resolution Committee

If a reasonable effort by the Grievance Officer does not yield a solution, upon request of either party, he/she will convene a conflict resolution committee.

The purposes of the committee include ascertaining the facts to the extent feasible, mediating between the parties, and striving for resolution.

The committee will assess the evidence as objectively as possible, be fair in its deliberations, and protect the rights of both parties.

The dean will appoint an ad hoc conflict resolution committee in consultation with faculty and the appropriate associate dean. The Grievance Officer is not a member of the committee; however, the officer is present at committee meetings and may be called upon to break a tie vote.

The committee will select its own chair to preside over deliberations and will select a recorder.

Duties of the recorder shall be:

1. to record adequate minutes of every meeting;
2. to record by audio tape those portions of a hearing as hereinafter specified;
3. to take charge of and record the receipt of all correspondence, written statements, and other official papers received by the council; and,
4. to secure, file, and maintain in proper order in a special lock box in the office of the Grievance Officer.

The committee becomes involved in a given case only after the Grievance Officer has made reasonable efforts to resolve it. When the selected committee hears a case, the Grievance Officer, accuser, and the accused are present. The committee chair is responsible for notifying the parties
concerning the time and place of the committee meeting. The proceedings begin with the Grievance Officer presenting the case. Both the accuser and accused have an opportunity to speak and to bring witnesses to speak.

The committee recorder shall record all hearing proceedings, except deliberations of the committee on findings and recommendations and committee deliberations regarding excusing committee members from sitting on a case. This record shall serve as the official documentation of the hearing.

The order of speakers is the accuser and the witnesses for the accuser followed by the the accused and the witnesses for the accused.

The accused has the right to be present whenever the Grievance Officer, the accuser, or any witnesses are making statements. Similarly, the accuser has the right to be present during statements by the Grievance Officer, the accused, or any witnesses.

Witnesses will be present only when they are called to give information. After speaking, they will be asked to leave and will not speak to each other prior to or during the proceedings. Both the accused and the accuser can be harmed by breaches of confidentiality. Thus, all who are involved in the process of responding to allegations must maintain confidentiality.

All individuals involved in the process should know and understand the need for confidentiality. The accuser and accused are not allowed to bring lawyers to committee meetings as advocates, advisors, or observers, nor may they bring any other persons, except witnesses. This process is intramural and is designed to avoid complaints being filed outside the university, if possible.

When the committee convenes deliberations, the dean will be notified.

Outcomes of Committee Deliberations

The committee’s record of deliberations summarizing their findings will be sent to the Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs, who will then decide what action to take. The Executive Associate Dean (or designate) will advise the accused and accuser concerning the final
disposition of the matter.

Decisions about a letter being forwarded to the Dean should be made on a case-by-case basis. It is a matter of judgment by the committee based on the degree of offensiveness of the behavior and the strength of evidence that the behavior actually occurred. It is possible that the committee might become aware of a history of recurring mistreatment behavior by a given individual. In such a situation, a letter might be warranted even if each occurrence of mistreatment would not be regarded as serious enough to justify a letter if considered individually.

If the conflicting parties resolve the matter satisfactorily between themselves, the committee has the option to decide that a letter is not warranted. However, if the offense is serious or recurring, a letter might be deemed appropriate even if the conflicting parties have reached a resolution. In exceptional circumstances it may be appropriate for the Grievance Officer to inform the Dean concerning a complaint before the council meets.

Additional Committee Responsibilities

If the Grievance Officer decides that the committee should be involved in resolving a case, the accused does not have the right to prevent the committee from meeting. A function of the committee is to decide whether the matter should be brought to the attention of the Dean. It is in the interests of the accused to meet with the committee to resolve the matter without involvement of the Dean. If the accused refuses to attend the committee meeting, the committee will still meet to decide if a letter should be sent to the Dean. If a committee member is approached by someone who believes that mistreatment has occurred, the committee member will refer the individual to the Grievance Officer.

The Grievance Officer maintains essential records.

Protections

Those who are accused of mistreatment will be informed that retaliation is regarded as a form of mistreatment and will not be tolerated. Accusations that retaliation has occurred will be handled in the same manner as accusations concerning other forms of mistreatment, using the Grievance Officer and committee if needed. If the committee finds that retaliation has occurred, a letter will be sent to the Dean.

All reasonable action will be taken to ensure that the complainant and those providing information on behalf of the complainant or supporting the complainant in other ways will suffer no retaliation as a result of their activities in regard to the process.

A complainant or witness found to have been intentionally dishonest or malicious in making the allegations may be subject to disciplinary action.

In the event the allegations are not substantiated, all reasonable steps will be taken to restore the reputation of the accused as deemed appropriate by the committee.

Relation to other university policies

This policy outlines an additional process for responding to complaints of mistreatment and is subordinate to the formal policies of East Tennessee State University and Quillen College of Medicine.

• PPP-26 ETSU Policy Statement on a Drug-Free Campus
• PPP-27 ETSU Employee Grievance/Complaint Procedures
• PPP-40 Affirmative Action Complaints
• PPP-45 Americans with Disabilities Act
• PPP-80 Discrimination and Harassment

Student Conduct

In addition to this informal avenue, which is coordinated by the Grievance Officer, complaints concerning sexual harassment may be submitted to one of the designated contact persons for the Quillen College of Medicine, the Associate Dean for Student Services, or to the Office of Equity and Diversity for the university. Similarly, complaints concerning discrimination may be submitted to the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Allegations of student misconduct may be addressed according to the the Student Honor Code or through the submission of a professionalism report. 

This policy will help promote a positive environment for learning in the Quillen College of Medicine, and will affirm the importance of collegiality and respect for others.

Sexual harassment is a category of mistreatment that is illegal according to federal law. East Tennessee State University desires to maintain an environment that is safe and supportive for students and employees and to reward performance solely on the basis of relevant criteria. Accordingly, the university will not tolerate sexual harassment of its students or employees.

The legal definition of sexual harassment:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic standing; or
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting an individual; or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or academic environment.

Procedure for students’ who think they are being sexually harassed:

1. In circumstances in which the student believes their personal safety, job, or academic status will not be jeopardized, the student should communicate clearly to the offender that the behavior is not humorous or welcome and should cease immediately.
2. The student should keep a record of what happened and when it took place. Should there be any witnesses, the student should ask for their names to include in the documentation of the incident.
3. If the harassment continues, or if the student chooses not to confront the offender directly, the situation may be reported to the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Sexual harassment is always inappropriate regardless of whether it comes from a person in authority or a colleague. If a gesture or remark of a sexual or gender nature makes at student feel uncomfortable, threatened, intimidated, or pressured, it may be a sign that the student is experiencing sexual harassment.

Students should trust their instincts; do not remain silent; and do not blame themselves. Act quickly without delay to inform the abuser of unwelcome behavior or request advice from one of the contact persons listed below.

The contact persons designated for the Quillen College of Medicine are the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Affirmative Action Officer in the Office of Equity and Diversity.

The ETSU Board of Trustees requires that all students pay fees before attending any class, clerkship or curricular session. All students enrolled at the Quillen College of Medicine are required to pay tuition and fees at the beginning of each academic period. First- and second-year students will pay a semester’s tuition during an announced period preceding each semester. Because of extended instruction during the third year, the fees for this year are higher than the rest. Third-year students pay tuition prior to beginning clerkships in May and January. Fourth-year students pay tuition prior to beginning elective or selectives in May and January.

Fee payment is accomplished through arrangement with the university during a specified time at the beginning of each enrollment period. Payment may be completed online, by mail, credit card or in person. Fees are due and payable during regular business hours of the first three days of classes during each enrollment period. Any student who does not clear obligations and pay fees during this time will be assessed a late fee as mandated by university policy. A specific date is established for each enrollment period after which the university will not accept fees and, if proper arrangements have not been made by that date, the student will be removed from enrollment. All students are required to complete fee payment during each enrollment period. Before fee payment will be allowed, all holds and encumbrances must be cleared.

The Higher Education Amendments that govern Title IV Federal Financial Assistance Programs state a student shall be entitled to receive federal student assistance benefits only if that student is maintaining progress in the course of study he/she is pursuing, according to the standards and practices of the institution. Quillen College of Medicine’s Policy of Satisfactory Academic Progress requires a student to complete the medical curriculum by meeting both a qualitative (grade requirement) and a quantitative (work completed) requirement as prescribed by the faculty. All students must complete the curriculum of each year and receive a grade of “C” or better in all required courses before proceeding to the next year or graduating. Students also must complete the graduation requirements by the time of regular spring graduation during the sixth year following the first enrollment.

The Student Promotions Committee makes the determination for Satisfactory Academic Progress. The committee is responsible for reviewing the progress of students at the end of each course or clerkship and at the end of an academic year. Continued enrollment, remedial work and/or repeat of one or more courses, must be approved by the Student Promotions Committee. The Quillen Office of Financial Services satisfactory academic progress standards mirrors the academic progress policies of the institution. Student who are not found to be making academic progress by the Student Promotions Committee are not eligible for federal financial aid. This rule may also apply to state, institutional, and private funds. The Director of Financial Services is notified of significant actions of the Student Promotions Committee for monitoring purposes to ensure compliance with Title IV regulations.

All Students

In general, the satisfactory academic progress policy above covers the qualitative measurements (courses completed, etc.) of a student’s progress. There is also a quantitative measurement (time limit) for federal financial aid eligibility known as Pace of Progression. Students are allowed to receive aid for one and one-half times the normal length of their program. For example, if a full-time student’s degree program takes eight semesters to complete, the maximum number of semesters a student can receive aid is for twelve semesters.

Incompletes, Withdrawals and Repeats

Incomplete grades must be removed by the end of twelve months following the month in which the grade was received. Failure of a student to remove the incomplete within the time allowed will result in the grade of Fail as a permanent grade. Financial aid will not be provided to a student who is only completing an incomplete grade.  However, a student may receive financial aid for repeating a previously passed course only once with prior approval from the Student Promotions Committee.  

Transfer Students

In rare occasions the Admissions Committee at Quillen may accept students who have attended another medical school. Transfer applicants must be ‘in good standing’ with, or eligible to return to their prior medical school. When admitted, their academic progress will be evaluated based solely on work at Quillen.

Appeal Procedure

Since the Quillen Office of Financial Service’s satisfactory academic progress policies mirror the academic progression policies of the college, the Financial Aid appeal process is embedded into the college’s appeal process. Meaning, a student who successfully appeals his/her academic progress at the college will automatically have his/her financial aid eligibility reinstated.

A hold, blocking a student’s further registration, forwarding of grades and transcripts or any school record, may be generated for a student at any time. By ETSU Board of Trustees regulation a student may encounter a hold for any unfulfilled obligation to the institution. Generally, holds are
generate once each semester and the most common causes are for unpaid parking fines, library fines, failure to return school property that has been borrowed or rented by the students, etc.

 A student who has received a hold will be contacted by the Registrar’s Office and will not be allowed to complete a future registration or classes or receive a transcript until the hold has been released.

For questions, contact the Registrar’s Office at (423) 439-2038.

Medical students are required to purchase diagnostic equipment during the first semester of their first year.

Microscopes

Medical students are required to have a microscope in both their first and second years at the College of Medicine. Students who own their own microscope must review the characteristics of their equipment with the course director of the Cell and Tissue Biology course in the Department of Biomedical Sciences to ensure that their equipment is satisfactory and acceptable. Students who do not own their own microscope may rent one, at a nominal charge, from the department. The current microscope rental fee is $250 added to their fee payment and paid once during the first year of medical school.

Rental microscopes are the sole responsibility of the individual during the course of the rental. Students will be assigned a microscope on the first laboratory session day of either the Medical Microbiology course or the Cell and Tissue Biology course. All rental microscopes are to be returned to the Department of Biomedical Sciences as soon as possible after the end of classes in the second semester, and no later than final examination week. No grades, letters of recommendation, or transcripts will be released for any student until the microscope is returned, or the department is otherwise satisfied.

As email is an integral part of the academic process, confidential information about ETSU students is being transmitted, including evaluations, grades, and financial information. Faculty, staff, and students must recognize that although there is an expectation of privacy, unencrypted email is not a secure means of transmitting information. Emails containing such information should be encrypted by including the word “encrypt” in the subject line.

ETSU provides each student, faculty, and staff member with an official university-assigned email account. All official university communications will be sent to the university email address. Faculty, staff, and students may assume that official ETSU email is a valid communication mechanism. Therefore, the university has the right to send communications to students, faculty, and staff via email and the right to expect that those communications are received and read in a timely fashion. Since this is the primary method of communication, email should be checked at least daily. Although students may choose to forward university email to an external email account, he or she is responsible for all information, including attachments. 

Note: Quillen College of Medicine students retain their ETSU email address after graduation.

The Quillen College of Medicine recommends that students exercise caution in using social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Items that represent unprofessional behavior posted by students on such networking sites are not in the best interest of the university or Quillen College of Medicine and may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Students are expected to exhibit a high degree of professionalism and personal integrity consistent with the pursuit of excellence in the conduct of their responsibilities. They must avoid identifying their connection to the university/QCOM if their online activities are inconsistent with university/QCOM values or could negatively impact the university’s or College of Medicine’s reputation.

In using social networking sites, students should use a personal e-mail address as their primary means of identification. Their university e-mail address should be used in accordance with university policy: http://www.etsu.edu/its/policies/acceptable-use-web.php. Students who use these websites must be aware of the critical importance of privatizing their websites so that only trustworthy friends have access to the websites/applications.

In posting information on personal social networking sites, students must not present themselves as an official representative or spokesperson for the college of medicine, any affiliated hospital or clinic, or the university. Patient privacy must be maintained and confidential or
proprietary information about the university or hospitals must not be shared online. Patient information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Students have an ethical and legal obligation to safeguard protected health information and posting or e-mailing patient photographs is a violation of the HIPPA statute.   Students should refrain from making medical recommendations which could be construed as the practice of medicine without a license.

All users of any institutionally maintained electronic data, data files, software, and networks are expected to handle the resource in a responsible and ethical manner. A user’s interest ceases when it invades the right of personal and/or institutional privacy; results in the destruction of personal and/or institutional property; demonstrates a potential for loss, embarrassment, litigation to the individual and/or institution; or causes a limited resource to be used in a wasteful or careless manner.

All information processed through Computer Services is considered sensitive and/or confidential. The responsibility for the release or discussion of data is assigned to the official custodian of the data file(s). Access to information is based on a legitimate “need to know” and directly related to assigned duties. University electronically maintained data, data files, software, and networks will be used for authorized purposes only. Users are responsible for the security of the resources.

Any use of the resource deemed irresponsible or unethical will result in the immediate denial of use of the resource. The violation will be referred to the proper authorities for disciplinary and/or legal action including, but not limited to, restitution, restriction, reprimand, suspension, probation, expulsion, termination, and, if necessary, legal action. Appeals will be handled through due process channels already established for students and/or staff. Student violations will be referred to the Vice President for Student Services and/or Vice President for Health Affairs; faculty violations will be referred to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or the Vice President for Health Affairs; staff violations will be referred to the Vice President for Administration and Development.

The following examples attempt to convey the intent of irresponsible and/or unethical use: violation of Federal/State copyright laws; violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974; use of the resource for obscene material; deliberate wasteful use of the resource, unauthorized altering of hardware, software, or data; piracy of data or software belonging to another person; or careless use of the resource which may result in the release of restricted information.

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) operates a wide-area network that interconnects local area networks in academic and administrative offices, student computer labs, and dormitory rooms. The university maintains connections into the Tennessee Education Cooperative Network (TECnet), the Internet and the World Wide Web. Thus, the university’s network is a part of the global network that provides access to information and information processing technologies. By having access to the university’s network and its resources, students, faculty, and staff can communicate and collaborate among themselves and their counterparts throughout the world. This privilege carries with it responsibilities with which all users must comply.

Everyone within the ETSU community who uses networked computing and communications facilities has the responsibility to use them in an ethical, professional and legal manner, and to abide by TECnet policies. Users should respect the privacy rights of others. ETSU’s facilities and network access capabilities should never be used for purposes intended to incite crime. Communications that violate Tennessee, federal, or international law are not acceptable. For example, the use of ETSU’s computer and network resources to threaten or harass others or the misrepresentation of one’s identity in electronic communications for the purpose of illegal or unauthorized actions or activities will not be tolerated.

These statements concerning responsibility are not meant to be exhaustive. Any questionable use should be considered “not acceptable.” Serious or repeated instances of abuse will be referred to the proper authority for disciplinary or legal action.

**WARNING** Any person who knowingly brings on campus, has in their possession or distributes any virus without the authorization and written permission of the Division of Information Resources, will be considered to be in violation of the above and will be vigorously prosecuted. **Campus** is defined to include any property owned, leased, maintained or controlled by ETSU and includes any site or area where any system owned, leased, operated and/or maintained by ETSU is housed.

NOTICE TO USERS: It is the policy of East Tennessee State University to protect all institutional computing resources including, but not limited to, hardware and software, consisting of the actual equipment being supplied by the university as well as the programs and related materials used in conjunction therewith. In accordance with local, state, and federal law, indiscriminate examination of individual user’s files is not permitted, nonetheless as a means of maintaining the integrity and security of those aforementioned resources.

East Tennessee State University retains the right to inspect individual accounts and files stored on any system owned, maintained and/or leased by said university. While no prior authorization by individual users is required to inspect those files and accounts, the user is, by virtue of accepting the account offered by ETSU and “logging” on to its computing equipment, granting to the university prior unrestricted permission, subject to university policy, to review, examine and/or otherwise view, by any method at the sole discretion of the university and without any additional advance notice to said user, any account and/or file stored on university computer resources.

Should such a review take place, the user will be given notice, as a courtesy only, of the results of said review within a reasonable time after the review is completed. While use of university computing
resources for personal use is strictly forbidden, should the user have materials for which he/she has any reasonable expectation of privacy or which the user considers to be confidential for any reason, the
user should retain those materials on a disk which can be secured as would any other personal items or materials which one consider private in nature.

For such a policy to work, it is essential that users observe responsible and ethical behavior in the use of the resources. In an effort to assist the user community in effective use of the limited computer
resources, it seems reasonable to highlight some specific responsibilities and types of behavior that represent abuse of a user’s privilege. The examples do not constitute a complete list but are intended to convey the intent of the code.

Users should not damage or attempt to damage computer equipment or to modify or attempt to modify equipment so that it does not function as originally intended. It is equally wrong to damage or modify or attempt to damage or modify the software components: operating systems,
compilers, utility routines, etc.

Users should not use or attempt to use an account without authorization from the owner of that account. Users have the responsibility of protecting their accounts through the proper use of passwords, but the fact that an account is unprotected does not imply permission for an unauthorized person to use it. Further, accounts are to be used only for the purposes for which they have been established. (Only the individual owner of an account is authorized to use that account. Providing passwords or in any way permitting or making it possible for anyone other than the authorized owner of the account to use computer resources is not authorized and may be a violation of Tennessee Law. Under this condition both the owner and the unauthorized user may be subject to legal action if determined to be appropriate by ETSU legal counsel.) Additionally, it is wrong to use a university-sponsored account for funded research, personal business, or consulting activities. There are special accounts for such purposes.

Users should not use private files without authorization. Owners of such files should take precautions and use the security mechanisms available. However, the fact that a file is not protected does not make it right for anyone to access it, unless it is specifically designed as a public access file. It is equally wrong for anyone to change or delete a file that belongs to anyone else without authorization. Violation of property rights and copyrights covering data, computer programs, and documentation is also wrong. In the event of accidental access of private files, confidentiality of those files must be maintained.

Any deliberate wasteful use of resources is irresponsible; it encroaches on others’ use of facilities and deprives them of resources. Printing of large unnecessary listings and the playing of games solely for entertainment are examples of such abuse. Users are expected to be aware of the
resources they are using and to make reasonable efforts to use these resources efficiently.

All state and federal copyright laws will be abided by at all times. Users must not copy any part of a copyrighted program or its documentation that would be in violation of the law or the licensing agreement without written and specific permissions of the copyright holder.

Serious or repeated instances of abuse of computer facilities and resources will be referred to the proper authorities for disciplinary or legal action including, but not limited to, restitution, restrictions, reprimand, suspension, probation, expulsion, or termination.

All entering medical students are required to have a portable computer (laptop/tablet) appropriately configured to be compatible with ETSU and the College of Medicine facilities. Information on acceptable hardware and software specifications is available below. Entering students wishing to purchase a computer on enrollment may have these costs considered as part of their required educational expense and therefore may be considered for financial aid purposes.

Note: If you currently own a computer, it should meet the specifications listed below. If it does not, you must either purchase upgrades for it (installation of which are your responsibility) or purchase a new computer. If you do not currently own a computer, please purchase one that meets the recommended specifications listed below. You may, of course, exceed these recommended specifications.

Configuration of these computers and their included hardware and software, as well as ongoing maintenance, is the responsibility of the student. The Quillen College of Medicine will provide instructions and limited assistance for configuring the computer for use on the campus network;
however, any difficulties due to hardware defects are the responsibility of the student. The Quillen College of Medicine may at times require certain software programs to be installed on the computer. If the student is required to purchase the software on his or her own, it is the responsibility of the student to install the software (limited assistance from the College of Medicine may be available). If the software will be provided by the Quillen College of Medicine, full installation and assistance will be provided by the College.

Minimum Recommended Specifications

Less than two (2) years old 
Processor: Dual or quad core processor 1.66GHZ or higher
Memory: 8 GB
Hard drive: 128 GB or higher
Wireless Network Card: 802.11 N or 802. 11 AC
Video Card: Integrated Graphics that can support resolution of 1024 x 768
Network Connection: 10/100 Base Ethernet Wired Connection for testing
Browser: Firefox 67 or Chrome 74 or higher
Application Suite Software: Microsoft Office is free for students.
Mac Users: Mac OS x 10.12 Sierra; Mac OS x 10.13 High Sierra; Mac OS x 10.14 Mojave
(MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air allowed but must be less than two years old; Mac users also have to buy an adapter to connect to a wired network.)
WIndows Users: Operating System: 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10
(Alternate versions of Windows 10, such as Windows RT and Windows 10S are NOT supported at this time. Only genuine, U.S. English versions of Windows Operating Systems are supported.  

Surface Pro, Surface Books, and Surface Laptop devices are supported.
Non-pro Surface devices are not supported.
 

Every student is responsible for having a functioning laptop computer that meets the minimum recommended specifications.  Mobile devices (e.g., iPads) are not compatible with the testing environment. 

View full policy here: MSEC-0613-7

All students who operate any type of motorized vehicle on the grounds of ETSU and the VA campus are required to obtain and properly display appropriate parking identification decals as issued by ETSU. There is an annual fee for this permit, which may be obtained at the beginning of the academic year online at http://www.etsu.edu/fa/fs/parking or by visiting the Parking Services office, located at 908 W. Maple St. between the hours of 8:00 am-4:30 pm. To obtain a permit, students must provide their E Number and license plate number. All campus visitors are required to obtain a temporary visitor permit either online or by visiting the Parking Services office.

Each student is provided with and should carefully read the brochure concerning traffic and parking regulations for both campuses. These brochures are updated as necessary and may be obtained from the Office of Student Services or at the Office of Public Safety on the ETSU campus. The Office of Public Safety is responsible for enforcing parking regulations. Students are urged to observe them.

As a general policy, persons operating motor vehicles on the Veterans Affairs campus are to park in designated areas. They should also refrain from parking in specified reserved spaces. There are specific rules and regulations for student parking at each of the affiliated hospitals. These will be explained during orientation to respective hospitals.

Anyone who park a privately-owned vehicle in such a manner as to block fire lanes, ambulance and wheel chair ramps, fire exits, fire hydrants, or in any way impede the normal flow of traffic will have their vehicle removed from the VA Medical Center grounds. Vehicles are towed at the owner’s expense.

Most other common violations are easily avoided. The ETSU parking permit is a static cling decal that must be displayed in the back window on the driver’s side. Those students with tinted windows will need to trade their permit for an adhesive permit that sticks on the outside of the back window. Vehicles are not to be backed into parking spaces and must be headed into the closed end of the designated parking space. Students are not allowed to park in Faculty/Staff Reserved areas.

To avoid traffic, arrive for class early to allow time to find a parking space. Remember to remove your permit if you trade cars or are in an accident. Review the parking map to become familiar with ETSU parking locations (http://www.etsu.edu/maps).

All ETSU parking citations may be appealed online at http://www.etsu.edu/fa/fs/parking within thirty days of receiving the citation. The process for appeal of traffic or parking violations is outlined in the parking regulations and must be followed if the student regards the citation as unjust.

Please visit http://www.etsu.edu/fa/fs/parking or contact Parking Services at 423-439-5650 or parking@etsu.edu for more information.

ETSU is a Tobacco-Free Campus with smoking and all other tobacco usage permitted only in private vehicles. This policy applies to all university buildings/grounds; ETSU-affiliated off-campus locations and clinics; any buildings owned, leased, or rented by ETSU in all other areas; and ETSU facilities located on the campus of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home. Tobacco use is also prohibited in all state vehicles. This tobacco-free policy is in effect 24 hours a day year-round.

For purposes of this policy, “tobacco use” means, but is not limited to, the personal use of any tobacco product, whether intended to be lit or not, which shall include smoking tobacco or other substances that are lit and smoked, as well as the use of an electronic cigarette or any other device intended to simulate smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco, including snuff; chewing tobacco; smokeless pouches; any form of loose-leaf, smokeless tobacco; and the use of unlit cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. The policy can be viewed at www.etsu.edu/humanres/relations/PPP53.php

The university promotes a healthy, sanitary environment free from tobacco smoke and tobacco-related debris. The ETSU community acknowledges that long-term health hazards may accrue to people who use tobacco products or who are subjected to second-hand smoke. The failure to address the use of tobacco products on campus would constitute a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and Tennessee law.

Understanding the addictive nature of tobacco products, ETSU will make every effort to assist those who may wish to stop using tobacco. The university offers current information about available resources via the Smoking Cessation Resources page.

It is the responsibility of all members of the ETSU community to comply with this Tobacco-Free Campus Policy. Violations of the policy will be dealt with in a manner that is consistent with university procedures. There shall be no reprisals against anyone reporting violations of this policy.

Violations to the tobacco free policy, particularly reoccurring violations, are to be reported to Public Safety at 423-439-4480.

Any violator of the policy who refuses to comply or who becomes abusive toward the responsible party will be handled by Public Safety.

ETSU has numerous safety and security systems that are provided to the Mountain Home Campus 24-hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure that the Quillen College of Medicine students, faculty, and staff learn and work in a safe, secure environment. The students, faculty, and staff are required to participate in yearly training to ensure that they are current with policies and procedures that are deemed best practices to ensure safety and security.

View full policy here: ADMIN 0619-6

In those instances when weather conditions require a decision by the President of the university to authorize canceling classes, delaying the start of classes, or suspending selected activities, the ETSU Alert Page and WETS-FM (89.5 FM) will announce official university cancellation information. All students are to govern themselves according to the status as reported by this station for the university. Students and university personnel are discouraged from using ETSU 911 or 439-4480 emergency numbers for inquiries concerning weather or closure status of the university.

University physicians and family practice clinics will remain open except under extraordinary conditions. The decision to close clinics and cancel College of Medicine classes will be made by the President, or designee, upon a recommendation from the Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine through the Vice President for Health Affairs/COO.  

Medical students and residents will report for clinical responsibilities as they are able. Students scheduled in various clerkships are not considered “essential personnel,” since they do not have direct patient responsibilities; however, learning opportunities may be enhanced, given the limited hospital personnel available during such weather. Third- and fourth-year students are to contact their preceptor whenever classes are canceled due to weather in order to gain direction regarding the role they might fill in their particular clerkship/elective assignment.

An inclement weather brochure that provides various closing statements and what it means for the university community can be viewed at https://www.etsu.edu/human-resources/documents/ppps/ppp28_inclement_weather.pdf