Remediation Plan and Probation
The SPED faculty review all Master's Degree students' clinical and academic progress at a faculty meeting after midterm of Fall and Spring semesters. A list of all students' names is presented at the meeting. Any faculty member with a concern and documented communication with the student has an opportunity to voice the concern(s). In addition, faculty have the option of raising concerns at any faculty meeting and/or directly to the SPED Graduate Governance Committee about a student at any point during the semester, provided they have documented prior communication with the student. Action regarding the concern(s) will be made in accordance with the following:
- Take no further action;
- Continue individual faculty-student meetings/communication;
- Delay the decision for action and re-review at stated time; or
- Request that the SPED Graduate Governance Committee place the student on academic and/or professional probation. As part of this step, the Graduate Governance Committee writes a letter to the student indicating the concern(s), objectives, date of expected progress, and consequence(s) if progress is not made.
- Request that the SECD Graduate Chair contact the Office of Graduate Studies about termination of the student’s program. (See below.)
Any faculty with concerns that arise during the summer session should report directly to the SPED Graduate Governance Committee and Graduate Coordinator to determine the appropriate course of action.
Termination Conditions
If a student, during the course of their graduate program, receives more than two (2) grades below B- or two (2) grades of XP in courses listed on the MOC, has a cumulative GPA fall below 3.0, or fails to successfully complete a remediation plan, the graduate degree program may be terminated. Should the student's cumulative GPA fall below a 3.0, the student may have the opportunity to raise the GPA to 3.0 or higher in the next semester of coursework. Notification of course grade or program GPA infractions will be sent to the student from the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders.
Professional Ethics Termination
Graduate students in Special Education are expected to abide by both the UNL Student Code of Conduct that outlines behaviors of misconduct, and the CEC Professional Ethics Principles that explains how to show respect for diverse characteristics and needs of persons with exceptionalities and their families.
Students will be dismissed from the Special Education Master's Degree program should they demonstrate unethical behaviors while enrolled at UNL. If a student demonstrates professionally inappropriate or unstable personal-social behavior in the classroom or fieldwork, the student may be asked to confer with the Graduate Governance Committee, Department Chair, and/or a counselor to determine the degree to which the student can be expected to continue his or her enrollment in the graduate program. Repeated incidences without change may be cause for termination from the program.
Termination Appeals
Students may appeal the Special Education Graduate Governance Committee’s decision to recommend a student’s program be terminated. A petition letter outlining the reasons for poor performance and a plan for improvement may be directed to the SCD Graduate Faculty Committee Chairperson. For full details on the termination appeals process, visit Guidelines for Probation and Termination in the Graduate Catalog.