Academic Policies and Regulations

Return to: General Information  Change of Name or Address Withdrawal from Courses Grades

Academic Honesty Appeals-Grades

Change of Name or Address

If you are changing your name, address, or ID number, you must submit a “change of name, address or ID” form. Forms are available in the OASIS, Room 217 Hunter North. In the case of a change of address, the post office at the former address should be notified to forward the mail.

Withdrawal from Courses

Any course from which a student officially withdraws after the third week of courses and before Monday of the 10th week of the term will be recorded as W, indicating that the withdrawal was without prejudice. Official withdrawal is accomplished by filing a withdrawal application in the OASIS, Room 217 HN, on or before the deadline.

A student should notify the graduate adviser of any such course withdrawal.

After the 10th week of the term, all official withdrawals must have the approval of the graduate adviser on an official withdrawal form and be recommended for documented reasons of illness or serious personal emergency. Unofficial withdrawal will result in a grade of WU.

Grades

Effective fall 2007, grades in graduate courses are reported as follows:

In the School of Social Work the H/CR/NC grading system is mandatory.These grades, which carry no quality points, are assigned as follows:

The assignment of traditional letter grades in the School of Social Work may be arranged by consultation with the instructor at the beginning of each semester. A grade of Credit includes acceptable graduate-level work equivalent to a B or an A. The grade of Honor, rarely given, signifies unusual or outstanding work, well above the A level.

Students shall not be permitted to repeat courses in which they have previously received a grade of B or better. Courses in which a grade of C is earned may be repeated only with departmental permission. Credit for the repeated course will be counted in the GPA, but not toward graduation.

Minimum GPA for Retention

Both matriculated and nonmatriculated graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain at Hunter College. Students whose grades fall below this standard are required to raise their GPAs to at least 3.0 within one semester.

After the posting of grades, the registrar’s office will notify graduate advisers of students whose GPAs fall below 3.0. Those students will receive warning notices that they have one probationary semester in which to raise their GPAs. Students who fail to raise their averages sufficiently will be dropped from their programs.

Students are placed on probation and are dismissed at the end of each fall and spring semester.

Appeals Procedure for Students on Probation

1. Student appeals shall be made in writing to the dean of the appropriate school, who will forward copies to the appropriate graduate adviser. Appeals must be received no later than the first day of classes of the following semester.
    
2. Upon receipt of this written letter of appeal, the dean shall convene a probation appeals committee composed of representatives from the graduate programs in the appropriate school, to include the graduate adviser from the appropriate program or a comparable program representative.
    
3. The specifically constituted probation appeals committee shall meet to review each case and shall produce a written report stating the grounds for its decision. Copies of this report shall be sent to the student, to the dean, and to the student’s file. The decision of this committee is final. If the appeal is successful, the committee shall send official notification to the registrar that the student will be retained on probation and allowed to register.
    
4. Student appeals which are received by the first day of classes shall be handled with dispatch in order that the student may register within the period of late registration without payment of late registration fee.

Minimum GPA for Graduation

Students will not qualify for a graduate degree, diploma or certificate unless, by the time of graduation, they achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) in all graduate work taken at Hunter.

Incomplete Work in Course

Instructors may assign the grade IN, meaning that course work (examinations, assignments, classwork, lab work) was not completed. For an IN grade to be changed to a letter grade, all required coursework must be completed within one year after the IN grade is entered. If not changed to a letter grade within one year, the IN grade will become permanent. Penalties for lateness that were previously established for the course will remain in effect.

Students will have a maximum of one year to complete required course work, whether or not they are in attendance. Instructors and departments may choose to have makeup final examinations administered by the college. Such examinations will be given before the Monday of the seventh week of the following semester. It is the responsibility of the student who must take a makeup examination to determine from the instructor or department whether the exam will be administered by the college, and to file the appropriate form and pay any required fee by the deadline specified by the college.

Credit

In general one credit represents 15 semester hours of classroom work or 30 semester hours of laboratory work, or the equivalent. Students are automatically classified as full-time during any given semester if they are taking 12 credits. They may be certified as full-time if they are taking fewer than 12 credits but are pursuing additional academic work that is required for the degree and that amounts to full-time study, such as preparing for comprehensive examinations, writing a thesis, teaching on a fellowship, student teaching or undertaking an internship or fieldwork under faculty supervision. Students who believe they qualify for certified full-time status and wish to protect their status as full-time students because of eligibility requirements for financial aid must ask their graduate advisers to verify the full-time nature of their academic work and to make a recommendation on this matter to the registrar prior to the beginning of classes of each semester.

Notification

This catalog is published every three years, and some of the material may become outdated. For updated information, please contact the Office of the Registrar or the specific school or department of interest.

Academic Honesty

Any deliberate borrowing of the ideas, terms, statements, or knowledge of others without clear and specific acknowledgment of the source is intellectual theft and is called plagiarism.

It is not plagiarism to borrow the ideas, terms, statements, or knowledge of others if the source is clearly and specifically acknowledged. Students who consult such critical material and wish to include some of the insights, terms, or statements encountered must provide full citations in an appropriate form.

Appeals-Grades

When a student considers a final course grade unsatisfactory, the student should first confer with the instructor regarding the accuracy of the grade received. This conference should be held within the first three weeks of the semester following receipt of the grade. At this time, errors may be corrected. If the grade is not an error, the student and instructor must together review all class material pertinent to the grade. If the student is not satisfied, or the instructor does not confer with the student within the first three weeks of the semester, the student should promptly contact the department chair by submitting a written appeal, consisting of a statement giving the factual reasons and basis for the complaint. The student has the right to request in writing that the chair appoint a student as a member to the department/school Grade Appeals Committee. This appeal at the department/school level must be submitted within the first five weeks of the semester following receipt of the grade, in accordance with the “College-wide Grade Appeals Procedures” adopted by the Senate in fall 1985. Copies of this procedure may be obtained in the Senate Office, the Office of Student Services, or departmental offices.

Students appealing a grade to the School of Nursing or the School of Health Sciences should direct the appeal to the director of the school. Students appealing a grade to the School of Social Work should direct the appeal to the dean of the school, who shall carry out the responsibilities of the department chair.

1. Introduction

The university and its colleges have a variety of procedures for dealing with student-related issues, including grade appeals, academic integrity violations, student discipline, disclosure of student records, student elections, sexual harassment complaints, disability accommodations, and discrimination. One area not generally covered by other procedures concerns student complaints about faculty conduct in the classroom or other formal academic settings. The university respects the academic freedom of the faculty and will not interfere with it as it relates to the content or style of teaching activities. Indeed, academic freedom is and should be of paramount importance. At the same time the university recognizes its responsibility to provide students with a procedure for addressing complaints about faculty treatment of students that are not protected by academic freedom and are not covered by other procedures. Examples might include incompetent or inefficient service, neglect of duty, physical or mental incapacity and conduct unbecoming a member of the staff.

2. Determination of Appropriate Procedure

If students have any question about the applicable procedure to follow for a particular complaint, they should consult with the chief student affairs officer. In particular, the chief student affairs officer should advise a student if some other procedure is applicable to the type of complaint the student has.

3. Informal Resolution

Students are encouraged to attempt to resolve complaints informally with the faculty member or to seek the assistance of the department chairperson or campus ombudsman to facilitate informal resolution.

4. Formal Complaint

If the student does not pursue informal resolution, or if informal resolution is unsuccessful, the student may file a written complaint with the department chairperson or, if the chairperson is the subject of the complaint, with the academic dean or a senior faculty member designated by the college president. (This person will be referred to below as the “Fact Finder.”) Only  students in a faculty member’s class or present in another academic setting where the alleged conduct occurred may file complaints against that faculty member.

1. The complaint shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the alleged conduct unless there is good cause shown for delay, including but not limited to delay caused by an attempt at informal resolution. The complaint shall be as specific as possible in describing the conduct complained of.
    
2. The Fact Finder shall promptly send a copy to the faculty member about whom the complaint is made, along with a letter stating that the filing of the complaint does not imply that any wrongdoing has occurred and that a faculty member must not retaliate in any way against a student for having made a complaint. If either the student or the faculty member has reason to believe that the department chairperson may be biased or otherwise unable to deal with the complaint in a fair and objective manner, he or she may submit to the academic dean or the senior faculty member designated by the college president a written request stating the reasons for that belief; if the request appears to have merit, that person may, in his or her sole discretion, replace the department chairperson as the Fact Finder. 

   The chairperson may also submit a written request for recusal for good cause to the academic dean or senior faculty member designated by the college president to review such requests. If a recusal request is granted, a different department chairperson shall conduct the investigation, or, if no other chairperson is available, an administrator designated by the college president shall serve in the chairperson’s stead. Further, the college president may re-assign investigations as necessary, including but not limited to situations in which a Fact Finder has not completed an investigation in a timely manner. In addition, during any time that no department chairperson is available to investigate a complaint, the college president may assign an administrator to investigate.

3. The Fact Finder shall meet with the complaining student and faculty member, either separately or together, to discuss the complaint and to try to resolve it. The Fact Finder may seek the assistance of the campus ombudsman or other appropriate person to facilitate informal resolution.
    
4. If resolution is not possible, and the Fact Finder concludes that the facts alleged by the student, taken as true and viewed in the light most favorable to the student, establish that the conduct complained of is clearly protected by academic freedom, he or she shall issue a written report dismissing the complaint and setting forth the reasons for dismissal and send a copy to the complaining student, the faculty member, the chief academic officer and the chief student affairs officer. Otherwise, the Fact Finder shall conduct an investigation. The Fact Finder shall separately interview the complaining student, the faculty member and other persons with relevant knowledge and information and shall also consult with the chief student affairs officer and, if appropriate, the college ombudsman. The Fact Finder shall not reveal the identity of the complaining student and the faculty member to others except to the extent necessary to conduct the investigation. If the Fact Finder believes it would be helpful, he or she may meet again with the student and faculty member after completing the investigation in an effort to resolve the matter. The complaining student and the faculty member shall have the right to have a representative (including a union representative, student government representative or attorney) present during the initial meeting, the interview and any post-investigation meeting. 

e. In cases where there is strong preliminary evidence that a student’s complaint is meritorious and that the student may suffer immediate and irreparable harm, the Fact Finder may provide appropriate interim relief to the complaining student pending the completion of the investigation. The affected faculty member may appeal such interim relief to the chief academic officer.

 f. At the end of the investigation, the Fact Finder shall issue a written report setting forth his or her findings and recommendations, with particular focus on whether the conduct in question is protected by academic freedom, and send a copy to the complaining student, the faculty member, the chief academic officer and the chief student affairs officer. In ordinary cases, it is expected that the investigation and written report should be completed within 30 calendar days of the date the complaint was filed.

5. Appeals Procedure

If either the student or the faculty member is not satisfied with the report of the Fact Finder, the student or faculty member may file a written appeal to the chief academic officer within 10 calendar days of receiving the report. The chief academic officer shall convene and serve as the chairperson of an Appeals Committee, which shall also include the chief student affairs officer, two faculty members elected annually by the faculty council or senate and one student elected annually by the student senate. The Appeals Committee shall review the findings and recommendations of the report, with particular focus on whether the conduct in question is protected by academic freedom. The Appeals Committee shall not conduct a new factual investigation or overturn any factual findings contained in the report unless they are clearly erroneous. If the Appeals Committee decides to reverse the Fact Finder in a case where there has not been an investigation because the Fact Finder erroneously found that the alleged conduct was protected by academic freedom, it may remand to the Fact Finder for further proceedings. The committee shall issue a written decision within 20 calendar days of receiving the appeal. A copy of the decision shall be sent to the student, the faculty member, the department chairperson and the president.

6. Subsequent Action

Following the completion of these procedures, the appropriate college official shall decide the appropriate action, if any, to take. For example, the department chairperson may decide to place a report in the faculty member’s personnel file or the president may bring disciplinary charges against the faculty member. Disciplinary charges may also be brought in extremely serious cases even though the college has not completed the entire investigative process described above; in that case, the bringing of disciplinary charges shall automatically suspend that process. Any action taken by a college must comply with the bylaws of the university and the collective bargaining agreement between the university and the Professional Staff Congress.

7. Campus Implementation

Each campus shall implement these procedures and shall distribute them widely to administrators, faculty members and students and post them on the college Web site.

The City University of New York Medical Withdrawal and Re-Entry Policy and Procedures Governing Student Behavior that Presents a Direct Threat of Harm to Self or Others or Substantially Disrupts the Learning or Working Environment of Others

1. Introduction

The City University of New York (“CUNY”) is committed to the academic success and personal growth of its students. As part of that commitment, CUNY and its constituent campuses are responsible for providing a safe learning and working environment for students, faculty, staff and other members of the university community. Some students may, because of a medical condition, engage in behavior that presents a direct threat of harm to themselves or to others, or substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others. In such situations, the safety and security of the campus community, including the individual student, is paramount. This policy does not replace or supersede reasonable and appropriate security and health and safety measures, such as calling 911 or taking other immediate action in case of imminent threat to life or limb.

In addition to taking action to protect the security and safety of the campus community, a college may address the student’s conduct to determine if action under this policy or under the student disciplinary process is appropriate. When a student’s conduct that directly threatens or substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others appears to relate to a medical condition, the campus may, at its option, address the student’s conduct either in accordance with this policy, or through the student disciplinary process. If the student’s conduct constitutes a threat solely to him or herself, it should be addressed under this policy rather than the disciplinary process.

2. Policy

1. As an alternative to disciplinary action that may be taken under Article XV of CUNY’s Bylaws, a college of CUNY may bring a proceeding to require a student to withdraw from the university, or, under some circumstances, the student’s home college and/or from residence in a college residence hall under this withdrawal policy and procedures when the student’s behavior evidences a direct threat of harm to others, or when the student’s behavior substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others. A direct threat means a significant risk of harm to health or safety.
    
2. A student who threatens to commit or attempts to commit suicide, and who does not otherwise threaten direct harm to others or substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others, shall not be subject to disciplinary action for that threat or attempt under Article XV of the CUNY’s Bylaws. If a college determines that withdrawal of the student or retention of the student subject to specified conditions is appropriate because the student’s behavior threatens direct harm to him or herself, the procedures outlined below shall apply instead of disciplinary procedures.
    
3. A student who withdraws or is withdrawn from the university, a college or college residence hall pursuant to this policy may apply for re-entry to the University, a college and/or to a college residence hall. The application for re-entry shall be made to the student’s home college’s Chief Student Affairs Officer, who shall determine whether the student still presents a direct threat of harm to him or herself or others or still presents a significant risk to substantially disrupt the learning or working environment of others. If the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee determines, based on the assessment of a qualified, licensed mental health professional, that there is not a significant risk that the behavior that required withdrawal will be repeated, he or she shall approve the student’s application for re-entry.

3. Procedures

A. Emergency Interim Removal

1. If a student’s behavior presents an immediate, severe and direct threat to him or herself or others (by evidencing a likelihood of harm to him or herself or others), or is substantially disrupting the learning or working environment of others, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee (if such Officer is not immediately available) may direct an emergency interim removal of the student that restricts the student’s access to the College’s campus or residence hall, as appropriate, for an interim period before a final determination of the matter. The Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall consult with the university’s Office of the General Counsel prior to making any such direction.
    
2. The fact that a student has threatened to commit suicide or attempted suicide, by itself, does not allow the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee to direct an emergency interim removal. In all cases involving such students, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee must attempt to have the student individually assessed by a mental health professional as outlined below in A.3. before deciding whether to direct an emergency interim removal.
    
3. Except as permitted in III A. 1. above, before determining whether to require an emergency interim removal, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall take the following steps:
   
   
   1. exercise all reasonable efforts to meet with the student; and
       
   2. in that meeting, offer the student the opportunity to be evaluated at the college’s expense by a qualified, licensed mental health professional, who may be an employee of a college of CUNY or CUNY or on retainer to a college of CUNY or CUNY. Whenever possible, that professional shall have had no prior contact with the student. The professional shall assess whether the student’s behavior presents an immediate, severe and direct threat to him or herself or others or presents a significant risk to repeat behavior that substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others, and, if so, whether the student’s behavior may be the result of a medical issue. That professional shall present his or her findings to the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee, who shall determine based on those findings and other evidence available whether emergency interim removal under these procedures is appropriate.
       
   3. If the student refuses to meet, and/or refuses to undergo such assessment or to keep a scheduled appointment, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee may require emergency interim removal without a meeting and/or mental health assessment if he or she reasonably concludes on the basis of the available evidence that the student’s behavior evidences an immediate, severe and direct threat of harm to the student or others or is substantially disrupting the working or learning environment of others and presents a significant risk to continue that substantial disruption. The Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall consult with the university’s Office of the General Counsel before making such a determination.
       
4. The emergency interim removal from the college and/or residence hall shall remain in effect until a final decision has been made pursuant to the procedures below, unless, before a final decision is made, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee determines that the reasons for imposing the interim removal no longer exist.

B. Withdrawal After Emergency Interim Removal

1. If a student has been subjected to an emergency interim removal from the college and/or residence hall, the college shall request retention with conditions or voluntary withdrawal within 7 calendar days of such removal. Should the request for retention with conditions or voluntary withdrawal request be refused, the college shall determine within 7 calendar days of such refusal whether to take further action against the student, including whether to initiate involuntary withdrawal proceedings or, disciplinary proceedings under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws, as applicable under II A. above, and shall send notice of either such proceeding in accordance with the notice requirements of the applicable procedure within that 7-day period. For students who have been subjected to an emergency interim removal without having undergone the assessment procedures outlined in III A. 3 above, the college shall follow the assessment procedures outlined below in B.2. a. prior to determining its course of action.
    
2. In cases where the student has been subjected to an emergency interim removal without assessment, the procedure for determining whether withdrawal is appropriate is as follows:
   
   
   1. The Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall exercise best efforts to meet with the student to discuss the student’s behavior and to hear the student’s explanation of the alleged behavior. If, after hearing the explanation, the Officer or designee still wishes to consider the possibility of the student’s withdrawal, he or she shall offer the student an opportunity to be evaluated, at the college’s expense, by a qualified, licensed mental health professional, who may be an employee of a college of CUNY or CUNY, or on retainer to a college of CUNY or CUNY. Whenever possible, that professional shall have had no prior contact with the student. The professional shall make findings concerning whether the student’s behavior presents a direct threat of harm to him or herself or others or presents a significant risk to repeat behavior that substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others and if so, whether the student’s behavior may be the result of a medical issue. The professional shall report such findings to the Chief Student Affairs Officer, who shall, based on those findings, and after consultation with the university’s Office of the General Counsel, determine the appropriate action, including whether to request that the student withdraw from the university, the college and/or the college residence hall or whether to request that the student agree to specified conditions in lieu of withdrawal.
       
   2. If the student refuses to undergo the requested assessment, or fails to keep the scheduled appointment, and the Chief Student Affairs Officer reasonably concludes on the basis of the available evidence that the student’s behavior presents a direct threat of harm to him or herself or others or substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others and presents a significant risk to repeat behavior that substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others, the Chief Student Affairs Officer may request that the student voluntarily withdraw from the university, the college and/or the college residence hall. The Chief Student Affairs Officer shall consult with the university’s Office of the General Counsel before making any such request.
       
   3. If the student agrees to the request for voluntary withdrawal or to the specified conditions, the Chief Student Affairs officer or designee shall (i) discuss with the student the procedures for and consequences of voluntary withdrawal or the specified conditions, as applicable; (ii) discuss the circumstances with the student’s parents or legal guardians as permissible by law and as appropriate; (iii) consult with the student’s academic adviser or department, as appropriate; (iv) consult with the residence hall director, as appropriate; (v) refer the student to appropriate resources for treatment; and (vi) advise the student concerning the process for applying for re-entry, as well as on conditions for re-entry, if applicable and appropriate.
       
   4. If the student does not agree to the request for voluntary withdrawal or to the specified conditions, the Chief Student Affairs Officer shall determine, in consultation with the university’s Office of the General Counsel, whether to take further action against the student, including whether to initiate involuntary withdrawal proceedings, or, in the case of students referenced in II A. above, whether to initiate disciplinary proceedings under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws.

C. Withdrawal of Students Without Emergency Interim Removal

1. Students Who Present a Direct Threat of Harm to Others or Substantially Disrupt the Learning or Working Environment of Others
   
   
   1. Voluntary Withdrawal or Retention with Conditions
      
      
      1. In situations where a student’s behavior evidences a direct threat of harm to himself or others or substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others and presents a significant risk to repeat behavior that substantially disrupts the learning or working environment of others and the Chief Student Affairs Officer reasonably believes that the student’s behavior may be connected to a medical issue, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee may request that the student voluntarily withdraw or agree to retention under conditions.
          
      2. If the student agrees to the request for voluntary withdrawal or to the specified conditions, the Chief Student Affairs officer or designee shall (i) discuss with the student the procedures for and consequences of voluntary withdrawal or the specified conditions, as applicable; (ii) discuss the circumstances with the student’s parents or legal guardians as permissible by law and as appropriate; (iii) consult with the student’s academic adviser or department, as appropriate; (iv) consult with the residence hall director, as appropriate; (v) refer the student to appropriate resources for treatment; and (vi) advise the student concerning the process for applying for re-entry, as well as on conditions for re-entry, if applicable and appropriate.
          
   2. Involuntary Withdrawal
      
      
      1. If the student does not agree to the request for voluntary withdrawal or to the specified conditions, the Chief Student Affairs Officer shall determine, in consultation with the University’s Office of the General Counsel, whether to take further action against the student, including whether to initiate involuntary withdrawal proceedings or disciplinary proceedings under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws.
          
      2. Before initiating involuntary withdrawal proceedings under this procedure, the Chief Student Affairs Officer shall follow the assessment procedures outlined above in B.2.
          
2. Students Who Present a Direct Threat of Harm Solely To Themselves
   
   
   1. The College shall follow the assessment and other procedures outlined above in B.2 a.-d. in order to determine the appropriate course of action.

D. Involuntary Withdrawal Procedures

1. The following shall be the procedures for involuntary withdrawal:
   
   
   1. Notice of the involuntary withdrawal hearing and the time and place of the hearing shall be personally delivered or sent by the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee of the student’s home college to the student at the address appearing on the records of the college, by overnight or certified mail, by regular mail, and, for students who have a college e-mail address, to that e-mail address. Notice of at least five business days shall be given to the student in advance of the hearing unless the student consents to an earlier hearing.
       
   2. The notice shall contain (i) a statement of the reasons involuntary withdrawal is sought (ii) the type of withdrawal sought (from the university, the college and/or from the college residence hall); and (iii) a statement that the student has a right to present his or her side of the story, to present witnesses and evidence on his or her behalf, to cross-examine witnesses presenting evidence against the student, to remain silent without assumption of guilt, and to be represented by legal counsel or an adviser at the student’s expense.
       
   3. CUNY shall constitute a Health Review Panel, comprised of qualified, licensed mental health professionals employed by a college of CUNY or by CUNY, or on retainer to a college of CUNY or CUNY. CUNY’s Vice Chancellor for Student Development shall appoint the members of the Health Review Panel. Members of the Health Review Panel, in committees constituted separately for each hearing (“Health Review Committee”), shall be responsible for adjudicating all involuntary withdrawal hearings held according to these procedures. For each involuntary withdrawal hearing, the Vice Chancellor for Student Development or his designee shall constitute a three-person Health Review Committee from the Health Review Panel to adjudicate at that hearing. No member of the Health Review Committee shall have had prior contact with the student. All decisions of the Health Review Committee shall be made by majority vote.
       
   4. The hearing shall be closed, unless the student requests an open hearing. However, the Health Review Committee may overrule a request for an open hearing if it determines that an open hearing would be inappropriate or disruptive in light of the nature of the evidence to be presented.
       
   5. After the evidence is presented at the hearing, the Health Review Committee shall determine whether the college has proved, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the student’s behavior presents a direct threat of harm to him or herself or others, or has substantially disrupted the learning or working environment of others and presents a significant risk of threatening further substantial disruption of the learning or working environment of others, and if so, what the appropriate remedy should be. The Health Review Committee may also set reasonable and appropriate conditions on re-entry. The decision of the Health Review Committee shall be made within five business days from the close of the hearing.

E. Appeals

An appeal from the decision of the Health Review Committee may be made to the President of the student’s home college or the President’s designee within thirty calendar days after the delivery of the decision appealed from. The President or designee shall make his or her determination on the appeal within fifteen business days from receipt of the appeal. The President’s decision may be appealed to the Chancellor of the university or his or her designee within thirty calendar days after the delivery of the President’s decision on appeal. The Chancellor or designee’s decision shall be made within fifteen business days from receipt of the appeal. The Chancellor (or designee’s) decision shall be final. The bases overturning a decision of the Health Review Committee at both levels of review are limited to the following: (i) clearly erroneous factual findings; (ii) procedural irregularities; (iii) newly available evidence that would have affected the outcome; (iv) the remedy and/or conditions on re-entry were unreasonable or inappropriate.

F. Re-entry

1. A student who is withdrawn from the university, a student’s home college and/or a college residence hall under this policy may be considered for re-entry.
    
2. A student wishing to be considered for re-entry should contact his or her home college’s Chief Student Affairs Officer and provide appropriate documentation of behavioral change and resolution of the initial behavioral problem, including compliance with any conditions that may have been set for re-entry.
    
3. A student may apply for re-entry to the university, a college and/or a college residence hall no more than one time per term.
    
4. In assessing an application for re-entry, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall: (i) in cases in which he or she determines that an additional mental health assessment is necessary, refer the student for assessment to a qualified, licensed mental health professional, at the college’s expense; (ii) receive, investigate, and examine appropriate relevant documentation, including assessments made by college-referred mental health professionals, and, if applicable, licensed treating mental health professionals; (iii) consult with the Health Review Committee, in cases in which the student’s withdrawal was adjudicated by such a Committee; (iv) contact the student’s parents or legal guardians as permissible by law, if appropriate; (v) provide an opportunity for the student to meet with the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee to discuss re-entry.
    
5. If the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee determines, based on the evidence presented, that there is not a significant risk that the behavior that required withdrawal will be repeated, he or she shall approve the student’s application for re-entry. In such cases, the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee shall initiate the re-entry process, provide the student with written conditions for continued attendance, and inform any relevant administrators of the student’s re-entry.
    
6. If the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee determines that the application for re-entry should be denied, he or she shall provide the student with a written explanation of the reasons for the denial and specify when the next request for re-entry may be considered.
    
7. A student may appeal the Chief Student Affairs Officer or designee’s denial of re-entry to the college President or designee within thirty calendar days after the delivery of the decision denying re-entry. The President or designee shall make his or her determination on the appeal within thirty calendar days from receipt of the appeal. The President’s decision may be appealed to the Chancellor of the university or his or her designee within thirty calendar days after the delivery of the President’s decision on appeal. The Chancellor or designee’s decision shall be made within thirty calendar days from receipt of the appeal. The Chancellor (or designee’s) decision shall be final. The basis for overturning a decision on appeal at either level shall be limited to a determination that the decision on re-entry was clearly erroneous.

G. Effect on Academic Status

In the event of a withdrawal pursuant to this policy, a notation of withdrawal shall appear on the student’s transcript for all classes taken during that semester. The Chief Student Affairs Officer at a student’s home college may grant a student request that, in lieu of withdrawal, a notation of incomplete shall appear on his or her transcript for classes taken during that semester if and only if there is a reasonable prospect that the student will eventually complete such classes, subject to faculty approval for each such class. Regardless of the notation that appears on a student’s transcript, the Chief Student Affairs Officer of the student’s home college shall inform the Vice Chancellor for Student Development of the student’s withdrawal in order to effectuate a hold by the University Application Processing Center on the student’s ability to transfer or otherwise seek admission to another college of CUNY.

H. Effect on Housing Status

If the student has been living in a college residence hall and will not be permitted to continue to do so, the student’s contract will be canceled and fees refunded on a prorated basis.

I. Confidentiality

The results of examinations by mental health professionals to whom students are referred for assessment at any stage in the withdrawal or readmission process shall be confidential student records, except that if the results indicate that the student presents an imminent, severe, and direct threat of harm to him or herself or others, those results may be shared with the appropriate individuals in order to attempt to prevent the occurrence of such harm. The results of these examinations shall be admissible in involuntary withdrawal hearings but shall not be admissible in disciplinary hearings, unless the student places his or her health, including mental health, at issue in a disciplinary hearing.

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