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Due Process and Withdrawals
DUE PROCESS
Due Process is intended to ensure that students who experience challenges in meeting Preservice Professional Studies goals are treated fairly. The process involves notifying students of their challenges and providing opportunities to address them. Students withdrawn from the program have the right to appeal. Due process may occur during EDUC 401/402, EDUC 403, EDUC 405, or EDUC 406.
The process involves:
Notice of Concern (NOC)
If performance issues have been identified (through the observation-feedback cycle and/or an action plan) and have not improved significantly, then the faculty associate will initiate a Notice of Concern (NOC). The NOC will be developed by the faculty associate and coordinator and may involve consultation with the school associate and student teacher. The NOC identifies the student teacher’s performance issues in relation to Preservice Professional Studies goals, specifies the conditions that must be met in order to demonstrate significant and consistent growth, and includes a timeline within which such conditions must be met. If the student teacher meets the conditions of the NOC, the conditions should continue to be met for the remainder of the semester.
Notice of Potential Withdrawal (NOPW)
If performance issues continue following the implementation of the Notice of Concern, the faculty associate and coordinator may initiate a Notice of Potential Withdrawal (NOPW). The NOPW will be developed by the Coordinator with the faculty associate, and may involve consultation with the school associate, school administrator, and student teacher. As with a Notice of Concern, an NOPW identifies the student teacher’s performance issues in relation to Preservice Professional Studies goals. The coordinator specifies the conditions that must be met in order to demonstrate significant and consistent growth, and sets a deadline within which such conditions must be met. If met, the student teacher must sustain these conditions throughout the program. Failure to meet or sustain the conditions of the NOPW results in withdrawal from Preservice Professional Studies. If the student teacher meets the conditions of the NOPW, the conditions should continue to be met for the remainder of the semester.
WITHDRAWAL FROM PRESERVICE PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
At the time of a student teacher’s withdrawal from Preservice Professional Studies, a withdrawal form is completed that identifies the reasons for withdrawal and conditions the student teacher must meet before they may apply for re-entry into Preservice Professional Studies (see Re-Entry & Re-Admission to Preservice Professional Studies).
There are several types of withdrawals:
Program-initiated Withdrawal
If the coordinator and faculty associate determine a student teacher has not adequately met the conditions of the Notice of Potential Withdrawal, Preservice Professional Studies will initiate a withdrawal from the program. In a program-initiated withdrawal, the student teacher is required to:
- Consult with their faculty associate and coordinator on appropriate closure to their School and Classroom Experiences or Practicum (if applicable);
- Meet with the coordinator to complete a withdrawal form;
- Withdraw online from the course (if the withdrawal occurs before the sixth week of classes). Financial penalties may be incurred; therefore, the student should check with Student Services.
Immediate Withdrawal
An immediate withdrawal may be initiated if Preservice Professional Studies or the school administration determine that the safety or well-being (e.g., physical, academic, social, or emotional) of children, peers/colleagues, or program/school staff is at risk, or the student teacher contravenes University policy. An immediate withdrawal may also be initiated if the student teacher fails to adhere to the Standards for the Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators in B.C. as set forth by the British Columbia Teacher Certification Branch (TCB), which the student teacher agreed to when accepting the offer of admission to Preservice Professional Studies. In such situations, the withdrawal occurs without following due process steps.
Student-initiated Withdrawal
Student teachers who recognize their inability to meet the Preservice Professional Studies goals may withdraw from the program. In a student-initiated withdrawal, the student teacher is required to:
- Inform their faculty associate, coordinator, school associate and school principal of their intention to withdraw;
- Meet with the coordinator to complete a withdrawal form;
- In circumstances beyond a student teacher's control making it impossible to complete a course, student teachers may apply to the University to withdraw under extenuating circumstances (WE). Instuctions for doing so can be found at: www.sfu.ca/students/appeals/withdrawals.html.
- Withdraw online from the course (if the withdrawal occurs before the sixth week of classes). Financial penalties may be incurred; therefore, the student should check with Student Services.
Second Withdrawal (Applicable Only to Re-Entry Students)
A student teacher who has re-entered the program after a first withdrawal, and who again is unable to demonstrate competence in meeting Preservice Professional Studies goals, may face a second withdrawal. After a second withdrawal, a student teacher cannot reapply as a re-entry student to Preservice Professional Studies.
Note: A student teacher who withdraws from 401/2 and who returns to successfully complete 401/2, could then withdraw from 405 and still be permitted to apply for re-entry to 405.
APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR WITHDRAWALS
Policy
The student has the right to appeal a supervisor-initiated withdrawal. Appeals are made in writing to the Director of Preservice Professional Studies. The purpose of the appeal is to:
- establish that due process was followed consistent with withdrawal procedures, and
- review the evidence on which the decision was made in order to establish that an appropriate decision was made.
Procedure
- The student teacher appeals in writing to the Office of the Director of Preservice Professional Studies. The appeal and any supporting documentation must be delivered via email to the Preservice Professional Studies secretary at ppsec@sfu.ca or in person at the Preservice Professional Studies office. The appeal must be received within 10 working days of the student teacher having been notified of their withdrawal by their coordinator. The withdrawal notification will be sent to the student teacher’s SFU email address.
- The director of Preservice Professional Studies considers the appeal, reviewing the student teacher’s file and supporting documentation, and any written submissions from the student teacher.
- Following this review, the Director's Office will:
- Make a decision and communicate it to the student, or
- Arrange for an appeal hearing in cases of unclear or insufficient information or documentation.
- Make a decision and communicate it to the student, or
- In cases of a hearing:
- The date is communicated to the student teacher, faculty associate, coordinator, school associate and any other person the director designates;
- The student teacher may be accompanied to the hearing by a friend or advisor;
- The Director’s Office determines the procedure to be followed in each case; however, the student teacher, faculty associate, coordinator, and school associate are entitled to present their respective viewpoints on the recommended withdrawal. Questions of clarification may be asked of all participants; and the student teacher is entitled to summarize their reasons for appealing their withdrawal.
- A note-taker may be present at the hearing. This will serve as the formal record and shall be available for playback at reasonable times to all parties present at the appeal hearing and to the dean upon request. A copy will be retained in the student’s file.
- The director will notify the student teacher of the decision in writing within one week after the hearing.
- In the event that a student teacher disagrees with the decision of the director, they have the right to appeal to the Dean of the Faculty of Education. In the event of an appeal to the dean, the student teacher must give written notification of this intent, stating the reasons for the appeal to the Office of the Dean of Education within one week of the date on which the student teacher is notified of the decision of the director. The dean will determine the procedure to be followed in each case but shall give the student teacher an opportunity to present their views orally or in writing, as the dean determines. No hearing is needed. The dean may rely on the record and the submissions of the student teacher and anyone else the dean considers appropriate. The student teacher shall be informed of the substance of submissions of others taken into consideration by the Dean.
- The decision of the Dean shall be final, subject only to an appeal to Senate. See more.
- In determining any matter pursuant to these procedures, evidence or information may be received and accepted in any manner or form whether or not it would be admissible in a court of law. Such evidence and information shall be accorded such probative value as the person receiving it reasonably determines.
- A student teacher will be notified of the Dean’s decision by registered or certified mail.