Expectations for Professionalism

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences expects all students, faculty, and staff to conduct themselves in a professional manner. All individuals are expected to represent the school; the preprofessional, professional, and graduate programs; and the profession in a positive, professional manner. 

Violation of the School Code of Professional Conduct or of any of the professions’ codes of ethics is considered professional misconduct. 

Academic misconduct, while also considered a form of professional misconduct, may be adjudicated as outlined in the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct (updated annually). Additionally, academic misconduct may be reviewed under the terms of this SCPC. 

1. Scope of Policy

The SCPC applies to all students enrolled in any of the SOPPS’s academic programs, including pre-pharmacy and participants in courses, research, programs, events, and activities affiliated with, sponsored by, or sanctioned by the SOPPS. In addition, the SCPC is applicable to all student nonacademic and extracurricular activities (regardless of whether such activities take place on or off campus) that have had or have the potential to have an adverse impact on Northeastern University, the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, the SOPPS, faculty, staff, students, or patients and staff at affiliated experiential education sites, or may affect a student’s fitness for continued enrollment in the SOPPS or entry into professional practice in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. 

Reports and actions related to the SCPC should be directed immediately to relevant faculty and the SOPPS’s Office of Student Affairs ’s assistant dean of student affairs.  Specific questions requiring interpretations of the meaning of any provision of the SCPC will be provided by the dean of the SOPPS  as needed.  

Students in the SOPPS are also required to comply with terms of the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct.  

2. Professional Misconduct 

The following is an illustrative, nonexhaustive list of some common examples of professional misconduct and does not represent all potential infractions:  

  • Violation of expected terms of conduct described in course policies or syllabi or as otherwise articulated in writing by the instructor. 
  • Actions or behaviors that violate school, professional, research, or ethics codes of conduct (e.g., professional Oath of the Student Pharmacist or Board of Registration in Pharmacy expectations, applicable laws (HIPPA, FERPA, etc.)). 
  • Entering a classroom, laboratory, seminar, or experiential setting habitually late or arriving late or leaving early for a professional activity without prior permission from the instructor. 
  • Addressing (oral and written) faculty, staff, students, preceptors, practitioners, or patients in an unprofessional, disrespectful, and inconsiderate manner.   
  • Wearing unprofessional attire (note expectations in the professional program, class, and/or experiential education policies and guidelines) during on-campus learning activities including classes, laboratories and seminars, or during experiential education activities or school-sanctioned professional events. 
  • Bringing family members, guests, and pets to the learning/research environment or professional academic activities without prior consent of the instructor. 
  • Accessing and/or distributing without proper authorization or revealing confidential information about faculty, staff, students of the school, college, or university. 
  • Accessing and/or distributing without proper authorization or revealing confidential information in any practice/research/learning setting. 
  • Using electronic resources and communication systems in a manner that is irresponsible, inappropriate, or disruptive to oneself or others. This includes, but is not limited to, inappropriate use of cellphones, computers, tablets, email, instant messaging, social media, blogs, and websites.  Refer to the university's Policy on Appropriate Use of Computer and Network Resources. 
  • Endangering patients or colleagues in/outside the university, damaging their property, or compromising research integrity. 
  • Other activity that, at the discretion of the SOPPS consistent with the procedures outlined below, constitutes unprofessional conduct. 
 

3. Procedures of Reporting 

Definitions 

Professionalism Concern Form

Intended to be used to report an instance of or patterns of unprofessional behavior exhibited by a student . The submitted/completed forms will be maintained in a confidential manner in the SOPPS Office of the Dean.  

Administrative Professional Conduct Board (at a minimum three members) 

Comprised of the assistant dean and/or Office of Student Affairs designee, the assistant dean of experiential and continuing professional education and/or designee, the director of graduate studies and/or designee, the director of undergraduate and professional programs and/or designee, and a SOPPS professional staff member. Other SOPPS representatives may be invited as deemed appropriate. An academic advisor and/or the assistant dean of student services from the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Office of Student Services may also be invited. 

Academic Standing Committee 

The ASC is a standing committee within the SOPPS that reviews cases in which students may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from the SOPPS for violations of this policy.   

Procedure 

The SOPPS’s professional misconduct review shall run concurrently with any other applicable university procedures including, but not limited to, academic and disciplinary proceedings administered by the university’s Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution. The assistant dean, the APCB, or the ASC may, at their discretion, indefinitely suspend or terminate any proceeding already instituted hereunder if they feel another procedure has or will adequately address the concern(s) raised regarding the reported unprofessional behavior. 

Preliminary Review 

Any faculty member, staff member, employer/preceptor, or student who believes a student has engaged in unprofessional behavior should report the matter to the assistant dean and/or an Office of Experiential and Continuing Professional Educational/co-op member who may then determine what preliminary action, if any, may be taken to address the reported issue. The assistant dean and/or OECPE/co-op team member will make a determination consistent with the expectations stated herein whether the preliminary action, if any, is sufficient to address the reported unprofessional behavior or the matter should be forwarded for further consideration consistent with the procedures outlined below (formal review). If forwarded for further consideration, the reported unprofessional conduct must be reduced to writing using a PCF. If the reported unprofessional conduct has not, in the assistant dean’s assessment, been corrected after meeting with the student, or if a second breach of professional expectations occurs, a second PCF must be completed and forwarded for further consideration as outlined below.   

Formal Review 

A completed PCF will be delivered to the assistant dean for review. Upon receipt of the form, the assistant dean will convene the APCB in a timely manner to decide on an appropriate course of action to address the reported misconduct. Such course of action may include but is not limited to a meeting among the student, the assistant dean, and APCB and/or ASC; counseling for the student on professional conduct; remediation by the student to address the effect of their unprofessional conduct; and other steps deemed appropriate by the assistant dean and APCB. The student will be notified about the PCF before an action takes place or a decision is rendered by the APCB and/or ASC. A student who is invited to meet with the APCB or the ASC must download/print a copy of this document, read it in its entirety, and bring it to the meeting. 

Reported misconduct that may subject a student to suspension or dismissal from an academic program must be forwarded to the ASC. For example, a student who has three or more PCFs on file will be reported to the ASC for further action/recommendation. Additionally, any report of serious professional misconduct—whether a student’s first, second, or third—may, at the discretion of the APCB, be reported to the ASC for that committee’s review and potential action.  

Any SCPC violation will result in, at minimum, an automatic one academic (didactic course, nonexperiential) semester probationary period. If at the end of the academic semester no additional SCPC violations have transpired, then the probationary period will be automatically lifted. 

Retention of Records 

PCFs and documents memorializing the resolution of the misconduct reported on such form(s) will be placed in the student’s academic file to remain within the SOPPS’s Office of Student Affairs assistant dean; this record does not appear on unofficial or official school transcripts. Such professionalism-related documents will be destroyed upon the student’s graduation except in the following circumstances: 

  • The reported misconduct resulted in the student’s suspension or dismissal from the program or SOPPS. 
  • The student had three or more reported incidents of professional misconduct.
  • The report is otherwise required to be retained by applicable university policies or procedures. 
SCPC Implications on Student Organizations Leaderships, Professional Societies, and Awards: 

Existing membership, leadership, and society engagement:

  • Students who are current members of student groups, professional societies, and/or organizations are expected to notify all relevant parties (e.g., faculty advisor, national office, etc.) regarding the outcome of the SCPC violation. This communication is expected to occur within 10 university business days from the student’s APCB/ASC meeting date (with a CC:) to the assistant dean. This is critical if the professional student organization/society’s national bylaws or constitutions include language requiring a member to be in good academic/professional standing. Communicating with the faculty advisor and national office to seek guidance on the implications of the misconduct on the student’s continued membership and/or its impact on a student’s leadership position, when relevant.   

 

New membership, leadership, society engagement, and professional awards/recognition:

  • Students who apply for new membership in professional societies/organizations and/or national, university, college, school awards can expect their application to be reviewed through the SOPPS Office of Student Affairs assistant dean in light of SCPC violations. Students who have been found responsible for unprofessional behaviors may be subject to removal from consideration, based on eligibility criteria of the award/recognition and/or membership requirements. Eligibility is subject to the probationary period described previously (see Formal Review). 

 

4. Academic Standing Committee 

The purpose of the ASC is to provide students with an impartial review of reported violations of this policy that may warrant suspension or dismissal from the program. The ASC will meet each semester or as needed to respond to reported concerns of students’ unprofessional behaviors. This committee may also implement changes to these policies and procedures at any time.  

5. Hearing 

A hearing date will be set by the applicable committee (APCB/ASC) to discuss the reported concern. If a committee  finds that there is sufficient evidence to support a violation of the professional standards previously defined, this will be so noted in the student’s record. The applicable committee will develop an appropriate remediation plan in collaboration with the student and appropriate faculty and staff.  

Third parties, including but not limited to witnesses, lawyers, parents, guardians, spouses, partners, and friends, are not permitted to attend the hearing.  

6. Appeals 

Within 10 university business days of receiving the written notification of the ASC’s decision, the student may submit a written appeal of the decision or the sanction (or both) to the dean of the SOPPS. Appeals must be based on at least one of the following arguments: 

  • There were violations of procedure that seriously compromised the investigation and/or conclusions. 
  • The evidence presented to the committee clearly does not support the findings. 
  • The sanctions implemented by the committee are excessive relative to the violation. 
  • There is significant new evidence that was not reasonably available during the investigation. 

The dean of the SOPPS will determine if the appeal meets the above conditions. The dean will issue a written report regarding their decision within 10 university business days of receiving the appeal.  

Students who have evidence that they were erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated in a professional conduct decision may petition to appeal the decision via the college-level appeals to the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Academic Affairs Committee as detailed in the catalog. 

7. Proceedings for Registered Student Club or Organization 

Student organizations may also be held responsible for violations of the SCPC. A review for a registered student organization shall be conducted in a manner similar to procedures used in cases involving individual students. A review shall be conducted with one spokesperson from the organization (usually the organization’s president). Sanctions may be imposed upon a registered student organization for a violation of the SCPC in the same manner and using the same considerations as on individuals. 

last updated 2/9/2024