KU Pharmacy Student Handbook

Last updated: 8/9/2023

KU is an EO/AA Institution

Foreword

Foreword/Introduction
Defining Statements, Outcomes, and Goals

Academic Information, Policies, and Procedures

Overview of the Pharm.D. Program
Elective and Didactic Course Requirements
Experiential Education Program
Minor in Business
Pharm.D. Research Certificate Program
Pharm.D. / M.B.A. Combined Degree Program
Pharm.D. / M.S. in Clinical Research “TL1” Program
Pharm.D. / Health Informatics Certificate and M.S. Dual Degree
Scholastic Standing
Course Withdrawal
Programmatic Requirements
Academic, Professional, Scholarly, and Research Misconduct
Honor Code and Honor Council
Student Grievance Policy and Procedure
Accommodations of Individuals with Disabilities or Religious Observances That Conflict with the Curriculum
Filming, Recording, and Commercial Note-Taking
Recorded Lectures
Late or Missing Assignments
Class Attendance
Examinations and Study Materials
Examination Date/Schedule Policy
Inclement Weather or Threats During Exams
Class Disruptions
Course Handouts
KU Email (@ku.edu) and Educational Technology Requirements
Dress Code
Professional Meeting Attendance and Student Travel Policy
Classroom Visitors and Seating
Criminal Background Checks
Campus Reassignment
Temporary Attendance at an Alternative Campus

Matriculation Policies

Technical Standards
Pharmacy Intern Registration / Background Checks
Pre-Pharmacy Course Transfer
Professional Course Transfer

Student Services / Opportunities

University Academic Support Center (Academic Learning Center, Student Access Center, KU Writing Center)
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Professional Advising
Tutoring Services
DEIB, Non-discrimination, and Accessibility Services
Internship Support Services
Career Placement and Licensure
Chemical Dependence/Impairment
Student Health / Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Student Governance, Council (STUCO) and Organizations
Class Officer Election
Postgraduate Education and Training Opportunities

Facility Policies

Emergency Evacuation
Inclement Weather / School Closings
Food in the Classroom
Concealed Carry of Handguns

For the latest recommendations regarding COVID-19, see Protect KU

Foreword/Introduction

1. Introduction

This handbook is intended to provide guidance and information about the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas. The information provided in this document is subject to change. Major changes to this document will be communicated via Canvas.
The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). In 2022, ACPE granted the School of Pharmacy a maximum accreditation cycle of 8 years effective through June 30, 2030.

2. Defining Statements, Outcomes, and Goals

The School has articulated the following statement of distinction: “… because the discovery and delivery of effective medicines enhance and extend life.”
Our mission: “The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy provides exceptional educational opportunities for professional, graduate, and postgraduate students. Through exemplary curricula and programs, the school encourages the advancement of patient-centered care to enhance health. The school maintains a leadership role in developing innovative technologies and pharmaceuticals and conducting drug therapy related research inclusive of basic, clinical, and administrative sciences for the state, nation, and world.”
Our vision: “The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy will improve the health of our state, its residents, and the world through excellence in didactic, experiential, and interprofessional education, basic and applied research, service, and the advancement of all aspects of patient-centered care.”
Our educational philosophy was created by the faculty to reflect the ideals outlined in our mission and vision statements. The following educational philosophy succinctly outlines the major categories of learning outcomes and the teaching and assessment methods used to ensure our students achieve the learning outcomes: Upon completion of the Pharm.D. program at KU, our students will have a strong foundation in science and will be practice-ready for team-based care. They will have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to deliver patient-centered care as interprofessional team members and will contribute to the advancement of the profession of pharmacy. Our graduates are proficient at translating basic science knowledge into clinical applications; providing comprehensive pharmacist-delivered patient-centered care; managing resources and systems effectively and efficiently; and providing population-based health care. To promote attainment of these goals a variety of educational strategies are used, including traditional classroom instruction, case studies, laboratory exercises, reflective writing, standardized patient assessment, small group discussion, and practice-based experiences. Our faculty routinely explore novel teaching methods to further advance the effectiveness of our curriculum. Through these educational strategies, students acquire a strong foundation in biomedical, pharmaceutical, social, behavioral, administrative, and clinical science principles and possess the ability to integrate and apply learned information within our program and in interprofessional learning environments. As students’ progress through the curriculum, they transition from being a dependent learner to an active, self-directed, lifelong learner.
Following completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy program students will possess the educational outcomes articulated by the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE outcomes). These are available for review at AACP CAPE Outcomes. Per CAPE, “the outcomes were purposefully constructed around 4 broad domains to guide the academy in educating pharmacists who possess: 1) foundational knowledge that is integrated throughout pharmacy curricula, 2) essentials for practicing pharmacy and delivering patient-centered care, 3) effective approaches to practice and care, and 4) the ability to develop personally and professionally.”
Following completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy program students will have achieved competency in the Entrustable Professional Activities for New Pharmacy Graduates (AACP).
The programmatic goals below are accomplished through the specific initiatives outlined in our strategic plan. Goal attainment is routinely assessed and evaluated by key stakeholders of our program, including administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other relevant constituents.
1. Educational goals:
  1. Attract strong candidates to our professional, graduate, and postdoctoral programs.
  2. Excellence in didactic, experiential, and interprofessional education as evident by our professional students’ proficiency in the CAPE outcomes.
  3. Our Pharm.D. graduates can deliver care as interprofessional team members and contribute to the advancement of the profession of pharmacy through advanced pharmacy practice, organizational involvement, and in select career paths, provide scholarly contributions to the profession.
2. Research goals:
  1. Our faculty maintain a leadership role in developing innovative technologies and pharmaceuticals, and conducting research inclusive of the basic, clinical, and administrative sciences.
  2. Given the global impact and importance of our faculty’s research, we strive to be consistently ranked among the top schools of pharmacy that receive federal research funding.
3. Service goals:
  1. Our faculty serve the residents of the State of Kansas and the nation by educating future pharmacists and researchers, making innovative discoveries to improve health, and sharing expertise with the pharmaceutical and health-care industries.
  2. Our students and faculty contribute to local, state, and national professional organizations and committees.
4. Clinical practice goals:
  1. Our pharmacy practice faculty enhance the practice of pharmacy through advanced patient care models, involvement with professional organizations, and advocacy for the profession of pharmacy.

Academic Information, Policies, and Procedures

3. Overview of the Pharm.D. Program

The curriculum leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Degree consists of 208- credit hours. Sixty-eight of these hours are transferred into the professional school and 140 are completed in the professional program. Two years of pre-pharmacy coursework is completed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at KU or another accredited institution. After acceptance into the School of Pharmacy, students complete professional coursework in the Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology (P&TX), Medicinal Chemistry (MDCM), Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PHCH), and Pharmacy Practice (PHPR). Students completing the first two (P1, P2) years of the Doctor of Pharmacy professional degree program are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studies (BSPS). This degree does NOT allow a student to practice pharmacy nor grant eligibility for the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) or Multistate Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). Of the 140 professional credit hours, 44 credit hours involve experiential learning. Upon completion of the fourth professional (P4) year, students are awarded the Pharm.D. degree and are then eligible for the NAPLEX and the MJPE for professional licensure.
The faculty adopts policies on academic standards on recommendation from the Academic Standing, Curriculum, Assessment, and Admission Committees. These policies are included within this handbook and are reviewed during P1 orientation and throughout the required Pharm.D. Seminar.
Additional degree information is available in the KU Academic Catalog: Pharmacy and at School of Pharmacy
The pre-pharmacy and Pharm.D. curricula are provided at: KU Pharmacy: Academics

4. Elective and Didactic Course Requirements

The professional curriculum includes four elective didactic credit hours. One elective course hour must be completed in one of the three basic science departments (MDCM, P&TX, or PHCH), and one elective credit hour must be completed in the Department of PHPR. The remaining two elective course hours may be completed in a School of Pharmacy department of the student’s choice. Students may enroll in additional elective course(s) beyond these requirements.
Electives that involve faculty from multiple departments (designated PHAR) may not be substituted for a basic science elective but may count towards satisfying the PHPR requirement.

5. Experiential Education Program

Experiential learning is “learning by doing”. Experiential learning becomes experiential education when it is part of a structured program whereby the student applies what they have learned in the classroom to real-life situations. A significant portion (~30%) of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum consists of experiential education in the form of Pharmacy Practice Experiences, commonly referred to as “rotations.”
The ACPE, the accrediting body for schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States, mandates the participation of student pharmacists in both Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences as part of the professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. ACPE guidelines prescribe that Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) begin early in the curriculum, involve actual practice experiences in both community and institutional settings, parallel and integrate with the didactic and laboratory course work and continue in a progressive manner leading to entry into the Advanced (Specialized) Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) offered in the final year of the curriculum.
Grading basis: All IPPEs are graded using the following competency-based grading scale: Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U), or Incomplete (I). All APPEs are graded using the following competency-based grading scale: Excellent (E), Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U), or Incomplete (I). The Office of Experiential Education collaborates with preceptors to define the competencies used during grade assignments.
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE): All Doctor of Pharmacy students will be required to participate in two IPPE rotations. The first will take place in the summer following the first year (P1) in a community-based pharmacy setting lasting 1 month (160 hours). The second IPPE rotation will take place in the summer following the second year (P2) in an institutional or hospital setting lasting 1 month (160 hours). IPPEs are intended to provide early insight into the practice of pharmacy and help guide career choices. Students are assigned IPPE rotations after ranking and submitting a list of preferences. All students will be required to sign a Statement of Understanding which confirms the student knows they could be placed at a site anywhere in the state of Kansas, and in some cases a state bordering Kansas. If deemed necessary by the Associate Dean/Director of Experiential Education, housing is provided by the school for remote IPPE rotations. Failed IPPE rotations (i.e., an assigned grade of “U”) must be repeated the subsequent academic winter break or at a later time as determined by the Associate Dean/Director of Experiential Education based on site, preceptor, and housing availability. Students must pass both IPPE rotations to be eligible for APPE rotations.
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE): For a student to be eligible to participate in APPE courses during the final P4 year they must have successfully completed all P1 through P3 courses with a passing grade and be in good academic and professional standing in the School of Pharmacy. The final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program is spent participating in APPE rotations. These consist of one-month rotations (160 contact hours) in various health care settings. Such practice settings may include a variety of acute care, ambulatory care, managed care, and alternate practice sites. Each rotation provides an academically structured environment that enables the student to gain practical experience under the guidance of a practicing health care professional (preceptor). Every student is required to complete nine one- month rotations. Each rotation begins the first weekday of the month and ends on the last weekday of the month. A grade will be assigned for each rotation. Failure of two APPEs (i.e., an assigned grade of “U”) will result in the student’s dismissal from the Pharm.D. program.
Compensation: A student may not receive both academic credit and financial compensation for experiential rotations. Since academic credit is being earned by the student during their pharmacy practice experience rotations, financial compensation is prohibited. Because the student does earn intern hours for these rotations as well as academic credit, they are expected to spend at least 40 hours per week at their rotation site.
Every effort is taken to ensure that the selected rotations provide a wide range of experiences for each student in a fair and equitable manner. Several factors are considered before rotation assignments are made. Consideration is given to student preferences, previous work history of the student, location of the site, as well as a student’s future employment/residency plans. Students may be required to travel throughout the state (e.g., Wichita, Hays, Garden City) or surrounding area to complete their pharmacy practice experience rotations. Students will receive notice of their assignments well in advance of the start of each rotation so they can make appropriate housing arrangements.
Required Medical Records: Before participating in the pharmacy practice experience rotations, each student must show proof of current professional liability and health insurance, including documentation of all appropriate immunizations. This should be on record with your campus Immunization Coordinator from previous years, but it is the student’s responsibility to verify and maintain the information by uploading the most current documentation and expiration dates into the CORE ELMS database and copies to Watkins Health until graduation. The deadline for this upload is the last Friday of fall finals prior to winter break. In addition, students must produce another background check free of exclusionary events/convictions before entering the clerkship portions of the program. Background checks and drug screenings submitted for your Kansas Intern License go directly to the Kansas Board of Pharmacy and are separate from the documents required by Experiential Education.
Clarification of Externship, Clerkship, and Internship:Externship is a broad term that has been used to describe an academically structured, experience-based training program that is regulated by the School of Pharmacy. Clerkship is a term that has referred to an externship that is clinically oriented. In either case, the pharmacist preceptor’s primary responsibility to the student is as a teacher. Academic credit is granted and no financial compensation to the student is allowed for work done during either an externship or a clerkship. “Pharmacy practice experience” has become the term used for what was previously referred to as a “clerkship” or “externship.” An internship is not academically structured, and the School of Pharmacy is not involved with internship training (e.g., employment in a community-based or hospital pharmacy). Internship training is under the jurisdiction of the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy. The student may receive financial compensation for the work they perform during their internship. The pharmacist preceptor’s primary responsibility to the student when the student is employed is that of an employer.
Required hours: The Kansas State Board of Pharmacy requires 1740 hours of internship training under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist preceptor to be eligible for licensure to practice pharmacy in the State of Kansas. Importantly, a maximum of 60 hours can be accrued per week. with a preceptor overseeing no more than two students. A total of 1740 precepted hours are accrued from IPPEs and APPEs and can be counted toward this requirement. If you work in a pharmacy as an intern, it is recommended that you register these additional hours with the Kansas Board of Pharmacy. Other State Boards of Pharmacy may not accept the externship hours earned as credit toward their total internship hour requirement for licensure. Both externship and internship hours are required in some states prior to licensure.

6. Minor in Business

Students who have satisfied the KU Core general education requirements may elect to complete a Minor in Business during their time at KU. To earn a business minor, students must complete six courses before the end of their pharmacy school career. The courses may be completed prior to entering the professional school or concurrent with the professional courses. Information on the business minor presented here is informational only and subject to change without notice. For official information see KU School of Business: Minor in Business
Business Minor Course Requirements:
1. ACCT 205 :- Survey of Accounting (or ACCT 200 - Fundamentals of Financial Accounting)
2. IST 205 :- Survey of Information Systems (or IST 202 - Introduction to Information Systems ; or BSAN 310: Intro to Business Analytics)
3. MGMT 305 :- Survey of Management and Leadership (or MGMT 310 - Organizational Behavior)
4. MKTG 305 :- Survey of Marketing (or MKTG 310: Marketing)
5. FIN 305 :- Survey of Finance (ACCT 205 is a prerequisite for FIN 305) (or FIN 310 :– Finance)
6. SCM 305 :- Survey of Decision Making in Business (or SCM 310 :- Management Science and Operations Management)
Graduation: When the student has declared the minor, completed the requirements, and applied for a degree with the Office of the Registrar, the student is cleared for the minor. Declaration of the minor can occur at any time, but students are encouraged to make this declaration early in their academic career. For logistic help in making this declaration, see KU School of Business: Declare a Minor in Business or contact the School of Pharmacy Deans Office.

7. Pharm.D. Research Certificate Program

Overview: The Pharm.D. Research Certificate Program (PRCP) is designed for Pharm.D. students who excel in their Pharm.D. courses and have a strong desire and commitment to gain extensive experience and training in research. Previously, students and faculty have connected for research projects through informal methods. The PRCP aims to facilitate this interaction by pairing interested students with faculty in a more formal arrangement. Students accepted into the PRCP will receive intensive research training in a laboratory or clinical setting and complete research-related curricular requirements. Upon satisfactory completion of the program requirements, students will receive a Pharm.D. Research Certificate. This certificate is expected to enhance their applications to post-graduate programs.
Admissions: The PRCP will be introduced to all P1 students in the fall during Pharm.D. Seminar. To apply for the PRCP, students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (School of Pharmacy GPA). Students interested in the program should prepare their application package that includes a cover letter, CV, description of research interests, list of 3 potential research mentors and a brief description of their research. Application packages should be sent to Dr. Judy Wu at judywu@ku.edu before December 31.
Certificate Requirements:
- 7 research credits total from P1 spring to P3 spring (7 semesters)
- Attend (P1) and present (P2) at KU Undergraduate Research Symposium (April)
- PHCH 514 and PHCH 515 (P3) – Scientific Writing/Presentation (electives)
- One research focused APPE rotation (P4)
- Attend (P3) and present (P4) at KU SOP Mossberg Honors Symposium (January)

8. Pharm.D. / M.B.A. Combined Degree Program

Pharmacy students may apply for admission to the PharmD/Master of Business Administration (MBA) joint degree program at KU during their P3 fall year. The MBA coursework is completed during the P4 year in addition to APPEs. Information regarding the application process will be provided during the Pharm.D. Seminar in the early fall of the P3 year. More information is available at KU School of Business: Joint Degree Programs.
Successful completion of the Pharm.D./MBA joint degree program will be dependent upon a high level of commitment from students accepted into the program and delays a student’s graduation from May until August of their P4 year. Students who wish to pursue the Pharm.D. and MBA (via the joint degree program) must: 1) be admitted to the School of Pharmacy, 2) be approved by the School of Pharmacy’s Combined Degree Programs Admissions Committee as candidates for the joint degree program during the third professional year in Pharmacy School, 3) complete application materials, and 4) be accepted into the MBA program by the School of Business.
APPE timeline and enrollment for Pharm.D./MBA P4 year:
- Fall - PHPR 601 APPE 1 - June
- Fall - PHPR 602 APPE 2 - July
- *Fall - PHPR 603 APPE 3 - August (3 weeks)
- Spring - PHPR 604 APPE 4 - MBA longitudinal project
- Spring - PHPR 605 APPE 5 - Winter Break (mid-December – mid January)
- Spring - PHPR 606 APPE 6 – MBA longitudinal project
- *Summer - PHPR 607 APPE 7 - May (start immediately after finals)
- Summer - PHPR 608 APPE 8 - June
- Summer - PHPR 609 APPE 9 - July
*Log extra rotation hours to accommodate short rotations in August and May
**It is possible to make up hours in the second August if necessary
August - Pharm.D./MBA degrees awarded
September-October - sit for NAPLEX and MPJE professional licensure exams
Following the completion of all requirements for the joint degree program, students will receive diplomas from both Schools concurrently. Pharmacy students who do not complete requirements for the MBA may still earn a Pharm.D. degree when requirements for that degree are completed.

9. Pharm.D. / M.S. in Clinical Research “TL1” Program

Each year, the Heartland Institute for Clinical and Translational Research invites P3 pharmacy students from the School of Pharmacy to apply for the Predoctoral Clinical & Translational Research TL1 Training Program. This program is designed to stimulate interest in clinical research careers for current medical, dental and pharmacy students by creating a dual-degree training track designed to provide the skills necessary to participate in clinical and translational research immediately upon entry into their clinical training. Trainees must take a leave of absence from their current academic program. For pharmacy students, this training program is completed following their P3 year, starting that summer, continuing over the fall and spring semesters, with completion of the program the following summer. Students complete Pharm.D. rotations in their 5th year of the professional program (i.e., it extends the professional program duration from 4 to 5 years). More information will be provided to P3 students during the fall Pharm.D. Seminar.
Students must complete the following program requirements: 1) complete a Master of Science in Clinical Research (MS-CR), 2) actively engage in workshops and training opportunities designed to enhance research skills, and 3) complete a mentored research project culminating in a published research article. TL1 eligibility requirements include United States citizenship or non-citizen national, or have legal admission into the United States as a permanent citizen, currently enrolled in a MD, Pharm.D., DDS or DO programs at a Frontiers affiliated institution and completed the basic science program requirements, and a one-year commitment (leave of absence) from your current program (see the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs) to complete the MS-CR coursework and participate exclusively in Frontiers sponsored or approved activities.
Application and Submission information:
1. Step 1 - Identify a mentor: One of the most important steps in applying to this program is to identify a research mentor. The Clinical & Translational Research Center (CTREC) and TL1 Program Directors require interested applicants to meet with them prior to applying to discuss potential mentors. Trainees will receive help selecting a mentorship team that includes a clinician researcher and either a basic scientist or population/community health researcher. The mentor will have primary responsibility for working with the trainee on their research project. In addition to working on their MS-CR, the TL1 trainee will spend much of their year working on their mentored research project.
2. Step 2 - Complete the Formal TL1 & MS-CR Applications: (Deadline is typically in early December)
Once you identify a mentor you will be asked to submit an application. Applicants should start developing their application proposal that must include:
1. A Personal Statement with a description of their previous research experience and career objectives (This will be used for both the TL1 and MS-CR application).
2. Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts.
3. A one-page abstract/proposal for a mentored research project.
4. A CV for the applicant (used for both applications), and their mentor (NIH biosketch).
5. Letters of Support (3)
  1. Research Mentor Letter of Support describing how the trainee will be integrated into the mentor’s currently funded research efforts and how the trainee will be able to actively participate in a research project such that the trainee will be able to submit a first-authored publication at the end of their dedicated year of research training. This expectation of publication is directly related to the thesis expectation for the MS-CR.
  2. Letter of Support from a Dean of your current academic program.
  3. One additional Letter of Support.
Additional program information can be found at Frontiers: Funding Opportunities. For additional information, please see the Associate Dean for Clinical and Medical Center Affairs. For the TL1 application please contact Project Director of the Frontiers Clinical and Translational Research Education Center, at 913-588-6290, or by email at frontiers-info@kumc.edu
Returning to the School of Pharmacy: Upon completion of the TL1 MS-CR training, students complete Pharm.D. rotations in the 5th year of the professional program. In the fall semester of their MS-CR, students should contact the Associate Dean for Experiential Education, to coordinate their P4 rotation selections. In the summer just prior to rotation, students must reapply to the KU Lawrence campus, as a result of not being enrolled in classes on that campus for more than one semester.

10. Pharm.D. / Health Informatics Certificate and M.S. Dual Degree

Health Informatics (HI) is an evolving area of growth for all healthcare disciplines with numerous career opportunities. As such, the KU School of Pharmacy offers both a Certificate program and a Master of Science degree option. Pharmacy students may apply for admission to either the Pharm.D./HI Certificate or Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) programs as early as the fall of their P2 year. The coursework begins in the spring semester of the P2 year and can be completed as early as June following Pharm.D. graduation. This sequencing prevents any delays for those seeking immediate postgraduate training. Information regarding the application process will be provided during the Pharm.D. Seminar in the fall of the P2 year.
Successful completion of the Pharm.D./HI Certificate or the MSHI dual degree program will be dependent upon a high level of commitment from students accepted into the program. Students who wish to pursue the Pharm.D./HI Certificate or MSHI must be:
1. Admitted to the School of Pharmacy
2. Approved by the School of Pharmacy’s Combined Degree Program Admissions Committee
3. Accepted into the HI program by the KUMC School of Nursing
See the following links for details:
- MSHI: KUMC: Master of Science in Health Informatics + Doctor of Pharmacy
- HI Certificate: KU Academic Catalog: Health Informatics Certificate
Key points of the HI Certificate program include:
- 17-18 additional credit hours
- APPE schedule modified for June completion (following May Pharm.D. graduation) OR may have up to 7 years to complete the HI Certificate courses.
- Informatics courses are all online via the KUMC School of Nursing
- Approximately 2-3 students will be accepted in the program annually
- If desired, students successfully completing the HI Certificate, can transition into the MSHI degree program with full transfer of completed HI credits.
Key points of the MSHI program include:
- 30 additional credit hours
- APPE schedule modified for June completion (following May Pharm.D. graduation) OR can have up to 7 years to complete the MSHI courses.
- Informatics courses are all online via the KUMC School of Nursing
- Approximately 2-3 students will be accepted in the program annually
Following the completion of all requirements for the HI Certificate or MSHI, students will receive diplomas/certificate from both Schools concurrently. Pharmacy students who do not complete requirements for the HI Certificate or the MSHI may still earn a Pharm.D. degree when requirements for that degree are completed.

11. Scholastic Standing

Course Failure: Failure of any core curricular (non-elective) course will require remediation and repeat of the failed course; resulting in a one-year delay in graduation. Additionally, the student will remain in their current professional year (e.g., P1) until all courses in that professional year are satisfactorily completed and passed (see Remediation under the Programmatic Requirements section).
Academic Warning: Academic warning notifications are distributed by the Dean’s Office to students identified by faculty as being at academic risk. Such notices can be made by faculty at any given time in the semester. However, these notifications are typically sent to students and their faculty advisors by mid-term. Students are encouraged to meet with the faculty of the course(s) in which they are struggling and their advisor to develop a plan to improve performance.
Probation: Students will be placed on academic probation if:
1. A student fails to attain a 2.5 GPA of professional coursework in any semester, or whose overall professional course GPA falls below 2.5.
  1. A student falling below the minimum GPA of 2.5 will be required to develop and submit an individualized remediation plan to their Academic Faculty Advisor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
2. A student fails an IPPE or APPE.
  1. A student failing either an IPPE or APPE will be required to develop an individualized remediation plan with the Associate Dean for Experiential Education and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
3. A student fails two or more milestone exams within the six-semester Pharmacy Skills Laboratory curriculum (including those that subsequently pass remediation).
4. A student fails to comply with programmatic requirements (including those outlined in section 12 below) in a timely manner.
Suspension: A student who fails or does not make timely progress in a course or courses while a student in the School of Pharmacy may be placed on suspension. Additionally, a student who fails to comply with the School conduct policy, or academic and/or programmatic requirements may be placed on suspension.
Dismissal: Students will be dismissed from the School of Pharmacy if:
1. They fail to maintain a 2.5 GPA in professional courses for any semester while on probation (i.e., two consecutive semesters on academic probation).
2. They receive a grade of “F” in 40 percent or more of the credit hours taken during any semester (including semesters in which they are enrolled in only one course).
3. They fail an individual course twice.
4. They fail two APPEs.
5. They fail a milestone exam within the six-semester Pharmacy Skills Laboratory curriculum while on probation as a result of prior milestone failure or academic poor performance (i.e., professional GPA <2.5)
6. They are placed on probation or suspended for a second consecutive academic semester for failure to comply with programmatic requirements.
Petitions: Students dismissed from the School may file a written petition with the Academic Standings Committee in the School of Pharmacy for reinstatement. Petitions should note the circumstances leading to the student’s dismissal from the program and a realistic accountability plan for readmission to the program. The committee’s decision is final. The committee will normally take one of the following actions:
1. The student will be allowed to enroll, often with stipulations and specific recommendations regarding strategies for returning to good academic standing.
2. The committee may deny the petition in which case the dismissal becomes final.
Return to Good Standing: Students will return to good standing when the overall pharmacy GPA reaches 2.5 and they have completed the appropriate programmatic requirements. Students are required to be in good standing (i.e., GPA of 2.5 or higher, completed programmatic requirements) to be eligible to enroll and participate in APPEs. Students placed on academic probation due to milestone exam failure then pass all milestone exams during the subsequent semester - will be removed from probation (only if their professional GPA is also at or above 2.5).
1. Students with professional GPAs at or above 2.5 who are on academic probation due to milestone failure(s) at the end of their P3 spring will be required to complete a remediation rotation with a faculty member, preferably in a practice setting similar to the milestone failure. These students will need to pass the remediation rotation to start their required 9 APPE rotations.
2. Courses taken outside the School: Only courses completed within an ACPE accredited institution may be used to increase a student’s professional GPA. Authorization to complete or use non-KU School of Pharmacy professional coursework requires prior Curriculum Committee approval. Credit for coursework completed as part of a joint/dual degree (e.g., MBA, MS-CR, MSHI), academic minors (e.g., business, etc.), or other coursework outside the School of Pharmacy are not included in GPA calculations to determine a student’s academic standing or eligibility for progression to the P4 year.
Grade appeal: The University of Kansas Senate Rules and Regulations (USRR) outlines the circumstances under which grade appeals may be made and outlines the procedures for such appeals. These details may be found in the following locations within USSR – Article 2, Section 3: Change of Grade, specifically 2.3.5, and Article 6, Section 4: Jurisdiction, specifically 6.4.4: Disputes involving allegedly improper application of grading procedure. The following steps outline the School of Pharmacy grievance procedure related to grade appeals required by USRR 2.3.5.1.
USRR limit the grounds for appeal concerning the final grade in a course to “improper application of the grading procedure announced for the course by the instructor.” A student may appeal a final grade awarded in a course as reported on the student’s official university transcript, but a student may NOT use this process to appeal a grade on an examination, quiz, essay, research paper, or other assignment. Appeals relating to a final grade in a course should be submitted as soon as possible after a final grade in a course is known but must be submitted within 10 business days of grades being released to all students by the registrar after a semester. Individuals pursuing a grade appeal on the grounds noted previously are encouraged to submit their appeal as promptly as possible once their final course grade is known to avoid further delays in review during breaks or other times where faculty may be out of office.
The process for an appeal is as follows:
1. Before initiating a final grade appeal, the student must communicate with the course coordinator of the course to make sure there has been no error in calculating or recording the grade, and to request clarification about the reason for assigning the grade.
2. If, after communicating with the instructor, the student still believes an improper application of the grading procedure announced for the course has occurred, the student may initiate a formal grade appeal by submitting a written request as a letter attached to an e-mail (e-mail requests alone are not appropriate) to the instructor noting their reasons, with documentation, for believing the announced grading procedure has been improperly applied.
3. A meeting with the instructor will then be scheduled, either in person or virtually as determined by the instructor, to discuss the requested change. The instructor may provide verbal notice of acceptance or denial of the appeal during the meeting, but the instructor must provide a written notice addressing the appeal and indicating the instructor’s decision within 7 business days of receiving a formal grade appeal request from a student. If an instructor is out of office, the timeframe for meeting and response starts on their return to the office.
4. If, after receiving the instructor’s decision, the student still believes an improper application of the grading procedure announced for the course has occurred, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision to the department offering the course by submitting a written request to the chair of the department within 3 business days of receiving the instructor’s written response. The written request to the department should include:
  1. The letter submitted to the instructor.
  2. The instructor’s letter noting their decision; and
  3. The syllabus for the course.
5. The chair or committee will then review the submitted materials within 3 business days. Once submitted for initial department review no new or additional information can be submitted by the student. The appeal may proceed following the subsequent steps.
6. A meeting with the chair or department committee will be scheduled, either in person or virtually as determined by the chair or department committee, to discuss the requested change. The department chair or committee may provide verbal notice of acceptance or denial of the appeal during the meeting but must provide a written notice addressing the appeal and indicating the decision within 7 business days of receiving a formal grade appeal request from a student. If a chair or other committee member is out of office, the timeframe for meeting and response starts on their return to the office.
7. If, after receiving the department’s decision, the student still believes an improper application of the grading procedure announced for the course has occurred, the student may appeal the decision to the School Academic Standings Committee by submitting a written request to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs within 3 business days of receiving the department’s written response. The written request to the Academic Standing Committee should include:
  1. All previous letters submitted to the instructor and department.
  2. All previous decision letters from the instructor and department; and
  3. The syllabus for the course.
8. The chair of the Academic Standing Committee or the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will review submitted materials within 3 business days. The appeal may proceed following the subsequent steps.
9. A meeting of the Academic Standing Committee will be scheduled to discuss the requested change without the student’s presence. The meeting may be in-person or virtual as determined by the committee. If an appeal is received after the Academic Standing Committee has already met to determine academic standing issues for the semester, a new meeting may be called virtually or in-person, an e-mail vote may be held, or the matter may be tabled until the next semester is in session and all faculty on contract. The Academic Standing Committee must meet to address tabled appeals no later than 5 business days after the start of the semester following the appeal. The summer semester is not observed in the School of Pharmacy, and a student submitting a late appeal for a spring semester course may not hear a response until the fall semester. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or chair of the Academic Standing Committee must provide a written notice addressing the appeal and indicating the decision within 7 business days of the Academic Standing Committee meeting to discuss a formal grade appeal request from a student.
10. Final appeal may be made to the University Judicial Board. University Governance may be reached at govern@ku.edu or 785-864-5169.

12. Course Withdrawal

Pharmacy students shall consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Assistant Dean for Wichita before dropping any courses to obtain a signature on the course withdrawal form. The procedure for dropping a course can be found on the University Registrar’s website.

In-semester course withdrawal:
1. A student wishing to withdraw from a course(s) in the School of Pharmacy must follow the course withdrawal procedures as noted above. A student who wishes to withdraw must be passing a course at the time of withdrawal. In the event a student is not passing and withdraws from the course, the failing withdrawal will be counted as an F for the purpose of retaking the course. Thus, a student who fails a course after a withdrawal while failing will be dismissed from the School of Pharmacy following the standards noted in the dismissal section above.
Retroactive withdrawal:
1. When exceptional circumstances exist, a student may submit a petition for a retroactive withdrawal from all courses for the previous semester. Students cannot petition to retroactively withdraw from a single course unless there exists a serious issue specifically related to that course that occurred or was not known until after the withdrawal deadline for the university. Exceptional circumstances may include situations where a student:
  1. has documentation of a serious illness that affected their ability to complete all coursework after the withdrawal date,
  2. encountered documented extreme and unusual circumstances which were beyond the student’s control, occurred after the University withdrawal deadline, and could not have been addressed during the term in which the course or courses were taken; or
  3. received no feedback on their performance in the course before the University withdrawal deadline.
  Students requesting a retroactive withdrawal may file a written petition (e-mail petitions are not acceptable) with the Academic Standings Committee in the School of Pharmacy for consideration. Petitions should note the circumstances leading to the student’s need for a retroactive withdrawal and circumstances noting why the student could not address the issue(s) during the semester. Students desiring a retroactive withdrawal should submit their petition as soon as possible following the semester the student wishes to retroactively withdraw from; however, the petition must be received before the start of the semester following the one the student wishes to withdraw from (e.g., if the student wishes to retroactively withdraw from the fall semester the petition must be received before the beginning of the spring semester). The Academic Standing Committee will not consider petitions for retroactive withdrawal received after the new semester’s first official day of classes. The summer semester is not observed in the School of Pharmacy.
  Once a petition is received, a meeting of the Academic Standing Committee will be scheduled to discuss the requested change without the student’s presence. The meeting may be in-person or virtual as determined by the committee. If a petition is received after the Academic Standing Committee has already met to determine academic standing issues for the semester, a new meeting may be called virtually or in-person, an e-mail vote may be held, or the matter may be tabled until the next semester is in session and all faculty are present. The Academic Standing Committee must meet to address tabled petitions no later than 5 business days after the start of the semester following the appeal. The summer semester is not observed in the School of Pharmacy, and a student submitting a late petition for a spring semester course may not hear a response until the fall semester. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or chair of the Academic Standing Committee must provide a written notice addressing the petition and indicating the decision within 7 business days of the Academic Standing Committee meeting to discuss a retroactive withdrawal request from a student. All decisions from the committee are final.
  A student is NOT a candidate for retroactive withdrawal if any of the following are true:
  1. The student is merely not satisfied with the grade earned.
  2. The student forgot to withdraw from a course during the term.
  3. The Academic Standing Committee has issued a final decision, and the student is unhappy with the requirements for readmission or a dismissal.
  4. The student assumed non-academic activities, which restricted their time for academic pursuit.
  5. The student experienced an illness, stress, or other issue due to an accident, death, family or friend crisis, or other crisis early enough in the semester to have withdrawn during the semester or sought assistance through the School of Pharmacy.
  6. The student was not aware of withdrawal deadlines or other School of Pharmacy policies.
  7. The student attempted a grade appeal that was not successful.
13. Programmatic Requirements
1. Throughout the curriculum, students will be required to participate in professional development, and educational and assessment activities. Attainment of a professional degree requires completion of certifications (e.g., immunizations, CPR, etc.), activities (e.g., interprofessional education, professional development requirements, attendance at Pharm.D. Seminar, etc.), and other assignments/assessments (e.g., evaluations of teaching, etc.) that may not be affiliated with traditional academic courses or experiences. These activities may take place outside of officially scheduled class times or in locations outside of the School of Pharmacy’s facilities (e.g., KUMC in Kansas City, WSU in Wichita). Detailed information about these requirements is provided below.
  1. Documentation of Health and Liability Insurance, CPR, and Immunizations: Each year, students must show proof of health and professional liability insurance coverage. Prior to enrollment in the first IPPE students must also be trained in CPR. In addition, they must provide documentation of immunity or vaccination against the following vaccine preventable diseases: 1) Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, 2) Hepatitis B (with titer), 3) Tuberculin (PPD Skin Test) or QuantiFERON Gold, 4) Varicella, 5) Tdap, 6) COVID-19 (exemptions per site policy depending on rotation) and 7) Influenza vaccine should be received in the fall semester of each academic year. Documentation of all immunizations and insurance must be presented to and recorded by the Immunization Coordinator on students’ respective campuses in the required timeframe to prevent being administratively withdrawn from all professional courses.Students on the Lawrence campus should present all documentation to Evan Riordan, Pharm.D., located in Watkins Memorial Health Center, who serves as the Immunization Coordinator. Students on the Wichita campus should present all documentation to the School of Pharmacy Immunization Coordinator, Jessica Cline or Victoria Keith, at the KU Wichita Center for Health Care. For any questions or more information, contact the Office of Experiential Education at rxoee@ku.edu
  2. Communicable Infectious Diseases: Communicable infectious diseases are common and may present a threat to students, faculty, and patients. Examples include bloodborne transmitted disease such as hepatitis B [HBV], hepatitis C [HCV], human immune-deficiency disease [HIV; AIDS]; airborne transmitted disease such as tuberculosis [TB], measles, varicella, COVID-19; droplet transmitted disease such as influenza, pertussis, mumps; and contact transmitted disease (e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA]). This contact may expose the students to infectious pathogens and may result in the student transmitting an infectious disease to other students, faculty, patients, family members, and others. The School of Pharmacy has adopted a policy to help protect the health and safety of its students, as well as that of patients and others. To participate in the School’s educational program, it is essential that students do not expose other students, faculty, patients, or others in their educational program to communicable infectious diseases. Please see the full policy at: KU School of Pharmacy Policy Regarding Infectious/Communicable Diseases (pdf)
  3. Pharm.D. Seminar: To facilitate the communication of important information, the School of Pharmacy requires that students protect the noon-hour each Tuesday for Pharm.D. Seminar. Example seminar topics include information about interprofessional education, experiential education, assessment and feedback meetings, graduation instructions, advising, peer-mentoring, and many other topics that arise over the academic year. The seminar schedule will be provided at the start of each academic semester but is subject to change with reasonable notice. Students will be considered non-compliant if a session is not attended without an excused absence granted prior to the seminar date. Unexcused absences may result in remediation.
  4. Interprofessional Education (IPE) Program: Students will be required to participate in IPE activities each academic year whereby pharmacy students interact with other health profession students in simulations, lectures, and other training programs at various locations and times of day. The mission of the School of Pharmacy’s IPE program is: “to transform the quality of patient care through interprofessional team-based education, practice, and research.” The IPE program’s vision is that “pharmacists will provide patient-centered care and research within an interprofessional team to help achieve the Triple Aim (improved quality of care, improved patient experience, and reduced cost) of healthcare.” The IPE program’s strategic goals are for students to: a) acquire knowledge, skills, and favorable attitudes toward interprofessional team-based care; b) apply knowledge, skills, and favorable attitudes in a variety of interprofessional patient-care contexts; and c) demonstrate competency of knowledge, skills, and favorable attitudes toward interprofessional team-based care upon graduation. Many IPE activities occur on the KUMC and area Wichita campuses. Students must provide their own transportation to these assessments.
  5. Professional Development Program: The goal of the Professional Development Program is to provide students with learning activities and experiences that occur outside of the classroom to supplement the didactic curriculum. Specifically, Professional Development activities will allow students to apply the programmatic learning outcomes (CAPE) of cultural sensitivity, self-awareness, leadership and professionalism.
    There are yearly updates to the Professional Development Program. Please refer to the documents on the Professional Development website (referenced below) or your respective class Canvas pages for the most up-to-date information. It is the student’s responsibility to read and follow the requirements and to meet all deadlines. A general outline is noted below, but students must refer to the website for a complete detailed listing of expectations, requirements, and deadlines.
    The basics include:
    1. This year you will develop 3 professional SMART goals.
    2. By the October, deadline noted on the PDP website, you will have written your 3 professional SMART goals, entered them into the web portal, and met with your faculty advisor. During the meeting with your advisor, you will review and discuss your goals, making any necessary adjustments or enhancements. Failure to meet the fall deadline will result in academic probation for the fall semester and a remediation assignment to be completed over winter break.
    3. You will attend 3 approved Professional Development activities (one in each of the CAPE outcomes). Remember to review your SMART goals when choosing events to attend, the events you choose should be relatable to at least one of your SMART goals.
    4. After attending the required activities, you will write a reflection for each of your 3 professional SMART goals, incorporating a minimum of one activity into each reflection including how that event helped you to assess your knowledge, skills, and behaviors, as a professional.
    5. SMART Goals, a completed activity list, and complete reflections are all to be entered into the Professional Development Web Portal prior to your final meeting with your advisor.
    6. Upon completion of the above entries, you will schedule a second meeting with your advisor in which you will review your goals and the prepared reflections. You must meet with your advisor prior to the designated April deadline.
    Students who fail to complete the professional development requirements and/or meet the stated deadlines on the PDP website, will be placed on academic probation and will be mandated to complete a series of remediation assignments that must be completed within a specified timeframe to continue progression in the program. Failure to complete the program by the designated April deadline will also result in the cancelation of summer rotations. Canceled rotations will be rescheduled upon completion of summer remediation. This may result in a delay in program progression, including graduation.
    For details see the KU Pharmacy Professional Development Program web portal.
  6. Performance Assessment/Milestone Exams: Students will be assessed using standardized patients and/or simulated manikins throughout the Pharmacy Skills Laboratory and IPE curricula. Students must successfully pass performance assessment/milestone exams to remain in good standing (see Scholastic Standing section). Students who do not pass (score below threshold) will be required to meet with the course coordinator to establish a formal plan of remediation. If deficiencies are not successfully remediated within the timeline established, the student will be dismissed from the program. Students have the right to appeal their remediation plan or dismissal from the program.
  7. Student evaluation of teaching: Student evaluation of teaching is 1) essential in maintaining excellent instruction in the Pharm.D. program, 2) needed to modify course content and delivery methods, and 3) is an essential component of a professor’s bid for tenure and/or promotion in academic rank within the University. In the past, evaluation response rates in many courses have been significantly below the minimum response rates needed to produce meaningful statistical results. To increase students’ response rates and concomitantly reduce the number of evaluation requests students receive; the Assessment Committee outlined the following student evaluation of teaching procedure for the Pharm.D. program. Each course is assigned 60 students who are required to complete all instructor and course evaluations for that specific course. Based upon the number of courses and class size, in any given semester, students will likely be required to evaluate ~3 of their courses. The 60 students assigned for each course is determined by stratifying each class into quartiles based on academic performance (determined by cumulative GPA from the prior semester). Fifteen students are randomly selected from each quartile and are required to complete the evaluations for the course in the 2 weeks preceding finals (online evaluations will close on Sunday prior to finals). The online course evaluation system used by the School can determine which students have submitted a completed evaluation but cannot identify which evaluation belongs to a specific student. At the time of completion, the submitted evaluations are split from the required student ID number and the evaluations remain anonymous. Instructors are not informed which students were selected to evaluate their course. Students who fail to complete their assigned evaluations will not be permitted to participate in their upcoming IPPE/APPE rotations and will be dropped from any elective course in which they are enrolled in the following semester. While specific students will be assigned to each course, any student will have the option to evaluate any course in which they are enrolled. Instructors are asked to provide time in-class for the evaluations to be completed.
2. Implications of non-compliance: As outlined in the Scholastic Standings policies, the above are programmatic requirements; as such students who fail to comply with these requirements are subject to sanctions (e.g., delay in IPPE/APPEs, dropped elective courses, enrollment holds, etc.) or being placed on academic probation. Continued non-compliance with these programmatic requirements would be defined as: repeated noncompliance in a given semester, or in more than one semester, and is grounds for dismissal from the Pharm.D. program. We request that students remain flexible with regards to their schedule and willingness to provide personal transportation to various locations and facilities to participate in these important training opportunities. Timely attention to such programmatic requirements is of utmost importance.
3. Remediation: If a student fails a required course, it is highly recommended that the student meets with the course-coordinator to discuss reasons for failure and identify strategies for success. The remediation plan also requires course repeat when the course is offered again. Failing a required course will result in a one-year delay in graduation.
14. Academic, Professional, Scholarly, and Research Misconduct
1. The complete policy governing academic, professional, scholarly, and research conduct for professional and graduate students in the School of Pharmacy can be found at School of Pharmacy Academic, Professional and Scholarly Misconduct Policy.
15. Honor Code and Honor Council
1. Intent and Scope
  1. The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy Student Honor Code and Honor Council System was developed by students to promote the ideals of honesty, integrity, and professionalism. The purpose of the Student Honor Code is to provide a framework of professional expectations and responsibilities. The Honor Code promotes general and academic honesty, mutual trust between faculty and students, and prepares students to uphold the ideals of the pharmacy profession.
  2. The Honor Code applies to the conduct of students of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy when such conduct occurs on the premises of the School of Pharmacy building or at any function or academic activity conducted by the School of Pharmacy, or involves the use of a student's status or affiliation with the School of Pharmacy or its property.
  3. Each student accepts the Honor Code upon matriculation to the School of Pharmacy by affirming their agreement with the following statement: “I hereby affirm that I have read, understood, and accept the provisions and stipulations of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy Student Honor Code for academic integrity and professionalism”.
  4. It is beyond the scope of the Honor Council System and Honor Council to levy sanctions. Cases of student academic or professional misconduct potentially requiring sanctions will be decided by the Academic and Professional Conduct Committee.
2. Violations
  1. Academic Misconduct: See the School of Pharmacy Academic, Professional and Scholarly Misconduct Policy.
  2. Professional Misconduct
    1. School Relations
      1. Facility Stewardship
        Students shall respect classroom equipment. It is a violation of the Honor Code to vandalize or damage equipment including but not limited to microphones, chairs, desks, carpet, etc.
        Students shall respect study areas. It is a violation of the Honor Code to engage in the following activities including but not limited to disruptive behavior, reserving/holding common study rooms that are for general use only (i.e., not to be reserved), leaving areas untidy, etc.
        Students shall maintain the cleanliness and order of the kitchen, bathrooms, and locker room.
      2. Classroom Behavior
        Students shall display professional conduct and respect to all faculty, staff, and students.
    2. Interprofessional and Public Relations
      1. Students shall be mindful of their behavior and appearance when they can be identified as a University of Kansas Student Pharmacist.
    3. Organizational Events
      1. Students shall maintain professional conduct when interacting with patients or other healthcare professionals.
      2. Students shall be dressed appropriately for the event attending based on dress code established by organizational leaders and peers.
3. Honor Council
  1. All student members of the Honor Council shall be duly elected by their classmates.
  2. Students will be elected by a majority vote.
    1. Members from each class will serve as part of the Honor Council as outlined below.
    2. Annually at the end of the fall semester one student from the P1 class will be voted onto the Honor Council by a majority vote of their class members.
    3. Annually at the end of the spring semester one student from each of the P2 and P3 classes will be voted onto the Honor Council by a majority vote of their class members.
    4. At any given time, with the exception of the beginning of the fall semester, the honor council will consist of three P3 students, two P2 students and one P1 student.
    5. P4 members will only be engaged in issues regarding APPE rotations
  3. All student members will serve on the Honor Council through graduation unless they decline to serve or are dismissed.
  4. All Honor Council members must remain in good academic standing while serving on the council.
  5. At the end of each year, one P2 will be voted to serve as the chair of the Honor Council for the following academic year. In the event that a student leaves the committee, their class shall select a replacement by majority vote.
  6. There will be one non-voting Honor Council Advisor on both the Lawrence and Wichita campuses, either a faculty member or a dean from within the School of Pharmacy appointed by the Dean of the School of Pharmacy.
  7. The Honor Council Advisors will assist the Honor Council with case evaluation and determine the need to refer incidents with potential sanctions to the Academic and Professional Conduct Committee.
  8. Students will not be able to serve as members of the Honor Council and the Academic and Professional Misconduct Committee.
4. Honor Code Review
  1. At the end of each academic year, the Honor Council must review and update the Honor Code. At least 3/4 of the Honor Council needs to be in attendance along with the Honor Council Advisor.
  2. The proposed changes must be voted upon by a majority vote of Honor Council members and along with a 2/3rd student body vote and a yes/no majority vote of the faculty.
  3. All changes to the Honor Code must be announced to all students, faculty, and staff.
5. Case Liaison
  1. The Chair of the Honor Council shall appoint a “Case Liaison” from among members of the Honor Council. The Chair shall not serve as a case liaison.
  2. The case liaison reviews the case of the accused student and the accuser. They will organize meetings for the Honor Council and will provide the council with necessary materials to review the case thoroughly and formulate a recommendation.
  3. After the recommendation of the council has been decided, the Case Liaison will provide the recommendation of the Honor Council to the appropriate individual or committee (e.g., faculty, Deans Office, Academic and Professional Conduct Committee). The transfer of documents will be guided by the Faculty Advisors.
  4. The Honor Council shall ensure that the confidentiality of each case is upheld.
16. Student Grievance Policy and Procedure
1. The student grievance policy delineates the process for submission of a written complaint with respect to student rights to due process and the correlating appeal protocol. The policy is written in accordance with the Article XIV of the University Senate Code and Articles V and VI of the University Senate Rules and Regulations regarding establishment of policy to address grievances arising within the KU School of Pharmacy. The policy can be found at KU Pharmacy Grievance Procedure
2. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) will evaluate complaints applicable to their accreditation standards. Complaints can be submitted as a written letter to the following address:
  Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
  190 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60603-3446
  Phone: 312-664-3575
  Fax: (866) 228-2631
  Email: info@acpe-accredit.org
  ACPE Website
17. Accommodations of Individuals with Disabilities or Religious Observances That Conflict with the Curriculum
The University of Kansas and the School of Pharmacy are committed to seeing that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed. The School’s technical standards of pharmacy education and practice are available at Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program Technical Standards.
The KU Student Access Center helps students identify and coordinate services for students with disabilities. They are present to help students whether their disability is physical, sensory, medical, psychological, or related to attention or learning. More information is available at the KU Student Access Center. To explore the services available, contact the Student Access Center, University Academic Support Centers, Strong Hall, Room 22, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd. Lawrence, KS 66045-7535, Voice: 785-864-4064, email: access@ku.edu. More information is also available under University Academic Support Center in the Student Services/Opportunities section of this handbook.
Importantly, if the Student Access Center has determined that a student has qualified for accommodations, it is the responsibility of the student to notify both the Dean’s Office and all associated instructors/course coordinators at least 3 class days prior to the exam/quiz or other assessment activity requiring accommodation. Modifications to testing times in ExamSoft are managed by the Dean’s Office. Requests for special testing site accommodations are handled by the Student Access Center. Lawrence-based students who have been granted exam accommodations are required to take exams in the Student Access Center located on the main campus in Strong Hall. Wichita-based students who have been granted exam accommodations are required to take exams in the Wichita SOP Faculty Suite.
1. Per the University Senate Rules and Regulations (see USRR 1.4.3) we request students speak with their course coordinators at the beginning of the semester should examination schedules conflict with mandated religious observances. Please note that per USRR 2.1.4, students should not be penalized for absences due to mandated religious observances.
18. Filming, Recording, and Commercial Note-Taking
1. Course materials prepared by an instructor and the content of all lectures, review sessions and course related meetings are the joint property of the instructor and the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. Photography and video/audio recording of or during lectures, review sessions, and other School functions, without the written consent of the instructor is prohibited. Upon written request, the instructor may grant permission for students to audiotape lectures, on the condition that these audiotapes are only used as a study aid by the individual making the recording. Unless explicit permission is obtained from the instructor, recordings of lectures and review sessions may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled in the course. The School of Pharmacy reserves the right to videotape students during any lecture, project, quiz, exam, or other activities associated with the School of Pharmacy (see video authorization release statement below).
2. Pursuant to the KU Policy on Commercial Note-Taking Ventures, commercial note-taking is not permitted in School of Pharmacy courses, unless a course coordinator grants a student written approval. Lecture notes and course materials may be taken for personal use, for the purpose of mastering the course material, and may not be sold to any person or entity in any form. Any student engaged in or contributing to the commercial exchange of notes or course materials will be subject to discipline, including academic misconduct charges, in accordance with University policy. Note-Taking provided by a student volunteer for a student with a disability, as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, is not the same as commercial note-taking and is not covered under this policy.
19. Recorded Lectures
1. To support an equitable educational experience for students attending classes on the regional campus, and to maintain compliance with accreditation standards, the School of Pharmacy mandates that all lecture content delivered between campuses via videoconferencing be recorded and stored on the University’s network storage. The recorded lecture content should be made available to students in the event the intercampus connection was compromised (e.g., secondary to technical failure) or students on the campus receiving the video-conference lecture content were unable to attend class due to inclement weather, natural disaster, or other University approved absences. The provision of the recorded lecture material for reasons not specified above and the method in which the recorded lecture is delivered to students remains the responsibility and joint decision of the course coordinator and the instructor providing each specific lecture. Course coordinators are encouraged to specify their use policies regarding recorded lecture content in their syllabus. This policy does not guarantee student access to the recorded lectures. Unless otherwise requested by the course coordinator, the recorded lecture content will be stored on the University’s network storage for one year in duration, after which the content may be permanently deleted by either the instructor or the school’s information technology staff. Prior to deletion, information technology staff must contact the course coordinator for approval to delete content. If they so choose, an instructor may delete the recorded lecture content at any time frame after they confirm the lecture was successfully transmitted to all relevant campuses and that a University approved absence was not in effect. This policy does not apply to self-initiated recorded content, such as faculty-initiated podcasts that were created outside the direction or supervision of the University or School. Such content remains the instructor’s intellectual property and its use is left to the discretion of the individual faculty member.
2. At program matriculation the school requests students agree to the following video authorization and release statement to permit the rebroadcast of course lectures to those not originally enrolled in the course (e.g., a different graduating class):
  1. “I acknowledge that the course content within the School of Pharmacy may be digitally captured via audio and/or video recording methods. I recognize that the purpose of recording classroom content is to facilitate teaching. I further acknowledge and agree that the recorded lecture content is the instructor’s intellectual property and that unless explicit written permission is obtained from the instructor, recordings of lectures and review sessions may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled in the course. I recognize that faculty, at their own discretion, may provide currently enrolled students access to the recorded lecture or related content. For educational purposes, access to the recorded content may also be provided to students not enrolled in the course. As a result, a student may be verbally or physically identifiable in the recorded content and their identity may be known to students not enrolled in the course. I hereby irrevocably consent to and authorize the School of Pharmacy and/or the University of Kansas to use, publish, adapt, distribute, create derivative works, and display my name, image, voice, likeness and pronouncements captured in the recorded course content in any manner they see fit. I acknowledge that I will not be compensated for any use made of the recordings. Upon execution of this Authorization and Release I hereby waive all rights and release the School of Pharmacy, the University of Kansas, the Kansas Board of Regents, and each of those entities officers, employees, agents and representatives from, and shall neither sue nor bring any proceedings against any such parties for, any claim or cause of action, known or unknown, for defamation, invasion of right to privacy, publicity or personality or any similar matter, or based upon or relating to the use of the recorded lecture content and associated materials.”
20. Late or Missing assignments
All activities, assignments, projects, or other work for a course in the curriculum are to be completed and turned in on time. Any such item that is turned in after the start of the class period it is due may be considered missing and as such assigned no points.
21. Class Attendance
Individual departments and their course instructors may provide additional guidelines on class attendance. Unless otherwise stated, attendance is required although excused absences for attending meetings (see below), illness or deaths in the family may be honored by individual instructors. Any student missing more than 15% of the scheduled meeting sessions of a class will be deemed to have excessive absences. Excessive unexcused absences from any class may result in the administrative withdrawal of the student from that class, at the discretion of the instructor. Students should note that an expectation of students in the professional program is that class attendance and school activities are to be the top priority for all students. Absences for work, work-related activities, or recreational travel, as a few examples, are not acceptable.
22. Examinations and Study Materials
The evaluation of student performance shall be based upon examinations, written papers, class participation, standardized patient assessment and other requirements as the instructor in each course may determine. Information about the basis for evaluating students’ performance and about the requirements that students must fulfill should be made available to students, preferably in writing, within the first two weeks of class. Students who are not in class when such information is provided are responsible for obtaining and knowing it. Students are also responsible for being aware of subsequent announcements about course content and changes to grading policies. This information should not be considered a contract; the information may be revised as the course progresses, provided students are given timely notice of such revisions. Individual departments and their course instructors will provide information in the course syllabus on appropriate study materials to be used in preparing for examinations. Instructor’s course notes and examinations are copyright materials. Only the faculty have exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display their work. The only materials authorized as study guides for an examination, or a quiz will be those materials distributed in class, by email, other means by the instructor, or those specifically posted by the instructor in Canvas for their respective course.
23. Examination Date/Schedule Policy
Prior to the start of the semester, course coordinators provide their proposed exam dates to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. This information is compiled and returned to all the course coordinators. If possible, the course coordinators attempt to reschedule exams prior to the start of the semester for specific days or weeks with a concerning number of exams. Examinations and quizzes during the semester are set by the individual course coordinators and are generally provided to the students in the course syllabus. Unannounced quizzes or similar assessments are permissible. During the semester, regular examination and quiz dates may be moved with timely notice at the sole discretion of the instructor. The instructor may consider requests for moving an exam from a student or group of students; however, the instructor is the sole authority in setting the test date. Examinations in multiple courses may occur in the same week and this alone may not be sufficient to compel a faculty member to change an exam date. All final examinations will be administered at the time, date, and in the room(s) specified. Final examination dates are published by the Deans Office and are not subject to relocation at either a student’s or an instructor’s request unless specifically approved by the Dean’s Office.
24. Inclement Weather or Threats During Exams
The School of Pharmacy is required to have contingency plans should classes or final Exams be disrupted by severe weather conditions as well as power outages, building damage, bomb threats, etc. Unless the University of Kansas is officially closed in Lawrence or Wichita, instructors in the School of Pharmacy will expect all students to be present for their scheduled classes, examinations and quizzes, and final exams each semester. All P1, P2, and P3 students, please make sure that you make any and all preparations and arrangements necessary, in advance, to avoid being absent or late for classes, examinations and quizzes in any class, and final exams during weather events that may arise. Official University of Kansas closing information will be announced through standard alert procedures (e.g., KU homepage, email, text messages, etc.). If the University of Kansas closes at any time, including during the upcoming finals week, the P1, P2, and P3 students and faculty course coordinators will receive an email from the Pharmacy Dean’s Office with specific instructions on rescheduling that may be necessary. The Lawrence Dean’s Office will be in communication with the Wichita Dean’s Office and the Dean’s Office on the respective campuses will be the points of contact for students, staff, and faculty for information should conditions necessitate schedule changes or adjustments in either Lawrence or Wichita. As a reminder for students on experiential rotations, an official closing of any of the University of Kansas campuses is not an excuse to be absent at your rotation site. Students individually are responsible for checking with your preceptor for instructions on how to proceed in the event of inclement weather or other threats. Finally, note that Final Exams are never cancelled because of emergency evacuations for reasons of power outages, building damage, bomb threats, etc. Public Safety personnel will be at the building sites in the event of an evacuation and will provide directions to faculty and students to another classroom so that Final Exams can continue. In that event, Lawrence and Wichita Deans at each respective campus site will also be present at the front door of the Pharmacy buildings to meet students and faculty with alternative exam site information.
25. Class Disruptions
1. Fire alarms and evacuations:
  1. In the event of a fire alarm or building evacuation during an assessment (e.g., exam, quiz), students are instructed to place their assessment face down on their desk and leave the classroom and building at the nearest exit. Students completing assessments that are administered via ExamSoft should exit the exam and bring their iPad with them. Students are not to discuss exam material. Instructors will lock the classroom as they follow the students out of the classroom. When the ‘all clear’ is given to re-enter the building, students will not be allowed back in the classroom until the instructor has entered and collected all exams. If there is time remaining in the class period or alternatively, in the next meeting of the class, the instructor will provide instructions on how the examination material will be covered later.
2. Disruptions by students during class periods:
  1. i. While the orderly exchange of ideas, including questions and discussions prompted by lectures, discussion sessions and laboratories, is viewed as a standard component of the educational environment, the instructor has the right to limit the scope and duration of these interactions. Students who engage in disruptive behavior, including persistent refusal to observe boundaries defined by the instructor regarding inappropriate talking, discussions, and questions in the classroom or laboratory may be subject to discipline for non-academic misconduct (disruption of teaching) or academic misconduct, as defined in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (CSRR Section VI, B, 5, USRR 2.6.1).. Additionally, students demonstrating unprofessional behavior may also be subject to appear in front of the Student Honor Council for further review and recommendations.
3. Disruptions during final exam week:
  1. In the final exam period of each semester, the School of Pharmacy’s Dean’s Office staff will provide information for emergency scheduling should a fire alarm or building evacuation occur during an examination period. Instructors will be notified by the Dean’s Office in advance of the final exam and inform the students before the exam where they should gather to quickly move to the classroom in the event of an alarm. Students are not to discuss the examination while in transit to the alternate examination room. Once in the alternate classroom, the instructor will re-administer the examination. (Generally, if there is an evacuation prior to your final exam period, members of the University Police may also meet instructors and students at the classroom door or building entrance to redirect you and your students to alternate classrooms.)
26. Course Handouts
Faculty may, but are not required to, provide notes for a lecture or course. If course notes are to be provided, they may be in paper format or electronic format at the discretion of the faculty member. If a member of the faculty distributes notes or supporting materials in paper format it is the responsibility of that faculty member to print and/or distribute such documents. Students are provided with access to a copier and paper to print class related handouts and make copies as needed. Personal use of the copier/paper is prohibited. A reasonable monthly copy/print quota is provided to each student. Use is regulated and monitored by school administration.
27. KU Email (@ku.edu) and Educational Technology Requirements
1. All pharmacy students receive a ku.edu email account upon matriculation into the School of Pharmacy. Nearly all students also have an external email account (e.g., Gmail). To limit the potential for miscommunication and to utilize a secure email system, students should strictly use their ku.edu email account for all school-related activities, including communication with individual faculty regarding sensitive information (e.g., grades). See the full policy at KU Electronic Mail Policy.
2. All students entering KU School of Pharmacy’s Pharm.D. program are required to own an iPad (capable of running the most current iOS) and select accessories and applications. Curricular changes now require students to use iPads in the classroom and during experiential rotations. Students use their iPads in a wide variety of ways, including downloading and annotating lecture notes, listening to podcasts or recorded lectures, participating in audience response polling during lectures, reading iBooks and online textbooks, communicating via approved video apps (e.g., Zoom, MS Teams) with students or faculty on our various campuses, and completing activities in the six semesters of Pharmacy Skills Laboratory. iPads are also used to administer quizzes and exams in a secure testing environment (i.e., ExamSoft).
3. Students who already own an iPad are not required to purchase another one, but they must ensure that the device meets the above specifications and has the required applications loaded prior to orientation.
4. Students who need to purchase an iPad may do so at any retailer of their choice. The School of Pharmacy provides a volume-based purchase discount through the Tech Shop in the KU Bookstore. If you have technical questions regarding the iPad and/or applications, please contact School of Pharmacy’s Systems Specialist Colby Qualls at colby_qualls@ku.edu. If you have questions about how the iPad is used throughout the curriculum, please contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
28. Dress Code
It is recommended that students adhere to a business casual dress code at all times while in classes or on school sanctioned activities. Unless authorized by a school administrator, School of Pharmacy issued white coats and name tags are to be worn at all times when on professional activities sanctioned by the school.
29. Professional Meeting Attendance and Student Travel Policy
The School of Pharmacy promotes and encourages the professionalism of all of its students in part through providing specific opportunities and support for students to attend local, regional, and national meetings. The following travel policies apply to all students in the School of Pharmacy:
1. Students in the fall semester of their P1 year are not allowed to attend out-of-state meetings with the School’s support.
2. Students in any of the classes (e.g., second semester P1, P2, P3, or P4 years) may attend meetings with the School’s support under the following conditions:
  1. The student is attending a School of Pharmacy approved meeting (i.e., typically those represented in the School by the student organizations). Prior to each semester the Dean’s Office will make available to instructors a list of dates of professional meetings. Instructors will be asked by the Dean’s Office to avoid examinations on those dates if at all possible, during the semester. The Dean’s Office will also specify for the instructors which classes (e.g., second semester P1, P2, P3, or P4) will be appropriately involved and in which meetings.
  2. The student’s organization approves the travel.
  3. The student has a significant role in the meeting such as a poster presentation, as an officer in the organization, will be interviewing for residencies, positions in the profession (P4 only), or participating in meetings with significant student programming.
  4. The student is not on probation, has an overall GPA of 2.5 or greater, and is not averaging a “C” grade or lower in more than one currently enrolled course, and has not been sanctioned for academic or professional misconduct.
  5. The student will not miss an examination.
30. Classroom Visitors and Seating
Classroom visitors (children, family, friends, etc.) may disrupt the learning environment. As a result, only enrolled students, faculty, and school administration may enter a classroom while class is in session. Special permission for exceptions requires authorization by school administration. Unless otherwise stated by a Dean or an instructor, the entire center back row of seating in classrooms 2020 and 3020 on the Lawrence campus, and classrooms 2304 and 2315 on the Wichita campus, are reserved for administrative use during Pharmacy classes and to accommodate observation by approved visitors.
31. Criminal Background Checks
1. The Academic and Professional Conduct Committee is responsible for the evaluation of any student background check that contains a potential exclusionary event. It is strongly encouraged that if you have any prior or pending incidents or issues of concerns that may or may not be reflected in a background check, but that may potentially preclude your ability to be a licensed pharmacist or pharmacy student intern, that you self-report such incidents in written detail, submitted to the attention of the Associate Dean for Clinical and Medical Center Affairs in the School of Pharmacy. A potential exclusionary event is any action or event that may exclude the student from matriculating or progressing in the School of Pharmacy. Examples of exclusionary and non-exclusionary events include, but are not limited to, the following:
  1. 1) any drug or alcohol-related violation or conviction, 2) any sex crime, 3) any misdemeanor or felony conviction
  2. Examples of events not considered exclusionary include 1) non-felony moving violations that do not include alcohol or controlled substances, 2) legal change of name, etc.
2. The committee will be notified of any flagged offense and will subsequently determine if it is potentially exclusionary. This initial screening step will occur prior to student notification. If an event is flagged on a background check the following will occur:
  1. Step One: When a background check is received that contains a flagged event an Associate Dean will review and report the event to the Academic and Professional Conduct Committee via the reporting form contained in this policy. The committee will determine if no further action is required or if the event is sanctionable.
  2. Step Two: If the event is deemed sanctionable the student will be notified via a copy of the Background Check Notification Form, hand delivered or delivered via certified mail. This form will contain a date of the hearing and will be within 14 days of notification if possible. Students must prepare a written appeal and submit it at least 3 days before the scheduled hearing. The appeal must clearly identify why the flag or potentially exclusionary event should not preclude them from matriculating or progressing in the School of Pharmacy. Actions may include: 1) No action required and matriculation in good standing, 2) Censure, 3) Matriculation into or progression in School of Pharmacy on probation, 4) Suspension, and 5) Admission Reversal or Expulsion.
  3. Step Three: The committee will convene to hear the request within 14 class- days of receiving the event appeal from the student. The results of this hearing will be submitted in writing to the Dean of the School of Pharmacy for action.
  4. Step Four: Appeals of the decision of the Dean are made to the Judicial Board of the University.
32. Campus Reassignment
1. The following describes the policies and procedures that will be implemented if a pharmacy student requests campus reassignment from the Lawrence Campus to the Wichita Campus or vice versa. KU School of Pharmacy Students in good standing may request campus reassignment in accordance with the following guidelines:
  1. Requests for campus reassignment must be submitted at least 45 days prior to the beginning of the semester in which the student desires to change campus locations.
  2. A student will ONLY be permitted to make an approved change in campus locations ONE time during the student’s tenure in the pharmacy program.
  3. Requests for campus reassignment will be considered on a case-by-case basis and approved only for instances considered by administration to be reasonable and justifiable. If more students are seeking campus reassignment than capacity permits, academic performance, professional conduct, and other factors defined by administration will be considered in determining student selection for reassignment.
  4. Requests for campus reassignment will be considered ONLY IF A SPACE IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE on the campus to which the student is seeking reassignment.
  5. The maximum number of students allowed per class will typically remain the same as the class size upon matriculation. However, modification to the class size is at the discretion of the Dean in accordance with accreditation guidelines.
  6. Requests for a mutually agreed upon exchange of campus assignment between students will be considered.
  7. Requests for campus reassignment shall be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Assistant Dean for Wichita.
  8. Requests will be reviewed by the Campus Reassignment Committee consisting of the Associate Deans of the School of Pharmacy.
  9. Any student requesting campus reassignment may be required to meet with the Campus Reassignment Committee prior to the committee ruling on the request.
  10. Appeals to any Campus Reassignment Committee decision shall be made to the Dean of the School of Pharmacy.
  11. Any use of enticements or incentives (e.g., money, goods, services) between students to facilitate any campus reassignment request will be considered professional misconduct and will result in the denial of any campus reassignment request by the student(s) and may result in further disciplinary sanctions.
33. Temporary Attendance at an Alternative Campus
1. Students enrolled in the KU School of Pharmacy may request to temporarily attend their didactic courses on a KU campus that is not their assigned campus in accordance with the following guidelines:
  1. Requests MUST be submitted and received at least 72 hours prior to the date(s) requested. Exceptions to this deadline will only be considered for emergency situations.
  2. All requests MUST be submitted by email to the Assistant Dean for Wichita and MUST include the following information:
    1. Email Subject Line: Request for temporary attendance on Wichita/Lawrence campus
    2. Student name
    3. Class (P1, P2, P3)
    4. Date(s) of attendance on alternate campus, and
    5. Reason for request to attend alternate campus
  3. All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for Wichita.
  4. Requests will be considered only if space is open and available on the campus to which the student is seeking temporary attendance.
  5. Requests that encompass dates in which students have a scheduled laboratory class on their home campus will only be considered in cases of emergencies and will require interaction with the laboratory course coordinator before approval is granted. In such instances, students will be notified.
  6. Request that dates in which students have scheduled exams may require student interaction with faculty before approval is granted. In such instances, students will be notified.
  7. Students who elect to attend classes on an alternate campus without seeking and obtaining prior administrative approval will be subject to disciplinary sanctions for professional misconduct.

Matriculation Policies

34. Technical Standards

The School of Pharmacy, as part of the University of Kansas, is committed to the principle of equal opportunity. The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination based on disability. Because the Pharm.D. degree signifies that the holder has successfully completed a required field of study and has met the requirements for licensure as a pharmacist prepared for entry into the practice of pharmacy, it follows that graduates must have the basic and essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors to enter practice in all areas of the profession. The Pharm.D. degree is a broad, undifferentiated degree attesting to the acquisition of general knowledge in all fields of pharmacy. The degree holder is expected to possess the basic and essential skills requisite for the practice of pharmacy. The School’s technical standards of pharmacy education and practice identify the essential skills and abilities required for admission, retention, and graduation of candidates. Therefore, after acceptance, and before matriculation, into the School of Pharmacy, all individuals offered admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program will be asked to verify that they can meet the technical standards with or without accommodation(s). Students who believe they are unable to meet these standards or who wish to request accommodations to meet the required standards must notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. View the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program Technical Standards

35. Pharmacy Intern Registration / Background Checks

All students must be registered as a pharmacy student intern in good standing with the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy and provide a background check, free of convictions/events defined by the School of Pharmacy as potentially exclusionary, before beginning classes in the School and yearly thereafter. Students will be provided instruction on application completion by the School of Pharmacy. Matriculation into the School of Pharmacy and the opportunity to continue in and complete the program are dependent upon compliance with this requirement. Ordering of the background check and ensuring its receipt by the School of Pharmacy is the responsibility of the student. Exclusionary events may include but are not limited to: 1) any drug or alcohol-related violation or conviction, 2) any sex crime, 3) any misdemeanor or felony conviction, 4) suspension or revocation of pharmacy student intern license by the State Board of Pharmacy.

36. Pre-Pharmacy Course Transfer

The pre-pharmacy curriculum requirements may be completed at any accredited institution in the United States. In addition, coursework completed at non-accredited institutions may be accepted upon concurrent approval of the University of Kansas Registrar and the School of Pharmacy Academic Standing and Curriculum Committees. Pre-pharmacy course credit, however, is only considered and may be awarded when course credit hours are reflected on an official institution transcript.

37. Professional Course Transfer

The University of Kansas typically does not accept transfer students from other professional Pharm.D. programs. Professional courses completed at a non-accredited institution are not transferable for credit towards the Pharm.D. degree requirements at the University of Kansas. In exceptional cases, student transfers from accredited schools of pharmacy are considered on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee of the School. The Curriculum Committee then evaluates all requests for transfer credit of professional courses. Additionally, it is required that students depart their school in good academic standing without conduct issues (as documented by a Dean from the external institution). In the rare instance when a transfer student is admitted, they must at minimum complete the P3 and P4 coursework at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy to be eligible to be awarded the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Student Services / Opportunities

38. University Academic Support Center

University Academic Support Centers provides a variety of academic programs designed to support learning for all KU students. Such services include course-specific peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, writing tutoring, and facilitating equal access to KU classes for students with disabilities. Important areas within the University Academic Support Center include:

Academic Learning Center: provides small group tutoring, supplemental instruction, academic consultations, workshops, etc.
Student Access Center: helps to identify and manage disabilities including physical, medical, psychological, or related to attention or learning.
KU Writing Center: offers a variety of ways for students to obtain feedback on their writing.

39. Financial Aid and Scholarships

University-Wide Scholarships: The Office of Student Financial Aid, KU Visitor Center, The University of Kansas, 1502 Iowa St, Lawrence, Kansas, 66045, administers a large program of scholarships, loans, and part-time employment to benefit KU students. In recent years, about $29 million in various forms of aid has been processed annually through the office, including about $2 million annually in short-term loans. For information on resources available, prospective students should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. Many scholarships have application deadlines as early as March 1 of each year. The earlier an application is received the better the chance of obtaining a scholarship. More information can be found at KU KU Financial Aid & Scholarships: Understanding Aid
School of Pharmacy Financial Assistance: The School of Pharmacy, in cooperation with the Office of Student Financial Aid, presents around 160 awards to pharmacy students totaling approximately $700,000 annually. This assistance is available to all pharmacy students (including incoming P1 students). For more information, including the application and application deadlines, see KU Pharmacy Financial Aid & Scholarships.

40. Professional Advising

Traditionally, advising concentrates on course and undergraduate major selection. At the KU School of Pharmacy, advising focuses on developing a mutually beneficial relationship between students and professors with the primary goal of helping students gain the necessary skills, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences to be successful academically and professionally. Advising provides students the opportunity to learn from School of Pharmacy faculty, outside of the classroom. Students are assigned a faculty advisor during the fall semester of their P1 year. Students will work with their advisors through the duration of the didactic curriculum.

41. Tutoring Services

Tutoring is available for students in the school through the Rho Chi Scholastic Honor Society and/or through the tutoring services of the University. Tutoring services can also be arranged through the faculty, the Dean’s Office or directly through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students on the Wichita campus should consult the Assistant Dean regarding assistance in initiating tutoring services.

For more information, see Tutoring.

42. DEIB, Non-discrimination, and Accessibility Services

The University and School are committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and non-discrimination practices within the pharmacy program across campuses. To that end, the School implements university-wide non-discrimination policies working collaboratively with, and under the guidance of the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX. Programs supporting our students from under-represented minority groups, as well as our students with disabilities, are coordinated through the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) on the Lawrence campus, and the Student Access Center within University Academic Support Services. A wide range of disability services and student accommodations are coordinated across campuses through the University’s Student Access Center. The DEIB Offices provide varied resources to both students and faculty that help recruit and retain a diverse student population and cultivate an equitable campus climate.

An especially noteworthy component of the DEIB Office is the Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) which supports academic success through the provision of scholarships. The MSP provides financial and academic support to high- achieving pharmacy students from underrepresented backgrounds, along with enhanced faculty advising through the MSP advisor, peer support and social opportunities which enrich the student’s academic experience. Dr. Dennis Grauer currently serves as the Director of the Multicultural Pharmacy Scholars Program (MPSP) and can be contacted at dgrauer@ku.edu.

43. Internship Support Services

There are many opportunities for pharmacy students to obtain employment in a variety of pharmacy-related positions. Common areas of employment include community-based pharmacies, both independent and chain, and within hospital or health systems. Information regarding many of these opportunities may be available in the Deans office and within the various departmental units of the School of Pharmacy. Announcements of the availability on many of these positions will be posted throughout the year and as they become available on Canvas. There are also special informational sessions with students at various times during the academic year to discuss some of these employment programs.

44. Career Placement and Licensure

The school hosts a Career Day each year to aid and support students seeking employment. P4 students are exempt from rotations on Career Day and are encouraged to attend the event. The employer representatives in attendance have career pathway opportunities covering a broad scope of settings, including postgraduate residencies. The school, through the Deans Office, helps with the preparation of resumes, business cards, and an interview protocol.
The Doctor of Pharmacy degree meets the educational requirements for licensure in the state of Kansas. If you plan to obtain a license or certification in a state other than Kansas or a U.S. territory after completion of the program, it is highly recommended that you seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency to ensure that you can obtain a license in your home state or home territory. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) provides resources for licensure and certification boards outside of Kansas. If you move outside the state of Kansas, please contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within 14 calendar days to determine if you can obtain a license or certification in your new location.

45. Chemical Dependence/Impairment

The School of Pharmacy works cooperatively with the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy, Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA), and the Committee on Impaired Pharmacy Practice (CIPP) to ensure that any students with alcohol or substance abuse problems have access to professional help and counseling through the Kansas Pharmacists Recovery Network (KsPRN). Information about this program can be accessed at Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA).
Upon matriculation into the professional degree program, specifically during program interviews, students sign a letter attesting to their understanding that “students in the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy may be required to submit to random alcohol and/or drug screens as a condition of participation in required components of the curriculum and that positive testing of such screens may result in expulsion from the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy.”
Additionally, if the behavior of a student generates suspicion that they are potentially abusing drugs or alcohol students may be subjected to random mandatory screening, at the expense of the School of Pharmacy. Positive screening results or failure to comply with screening by the specified deadline is grounds for expulsion from the program.

46. Student Health / Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Students on the Lawrence campus have access to healthcare services at Watkins Memorial Health Center. For more information on available services, including counseling, see -- Watkins Health Services.
Students on the Wichita campus have access to student healthcare services through the KU Wichita Center for Health Care located at 8533 E. 32nd St. North, Wichita, KS 67226. Students requiring acute care or immunization services should contact the Student Health Navigator by calling 316-293-1830.
Counseling services and evaluation: Please visit the Dean’s Office on your respective campus if you are struggling or are concerned about one of your classmates. We value each student and want to connect you with the necessary resources to ensure success and wellbeing. For situations in which there is imminent danger, call 911. For non-emergent situations, KU has the following resources:
1. Wichita:
  1. Prairie View 24-hour, toll-free telephone access, 1-800-362-0180; Prairie View website
    Services may be provided at two Wichita locations:
    1. Prairie View East: 9333 E 21st St N, Wichita, KS 67206
    2. Prairie View West: 7570 W 21st St #1026-D, Wichita, KS 67205
2. Lawrence:
  1. KU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)785-864-2277 (during weekday hours)
  2. Headquarters Crisis Center - 785-841-2345 (call anytime)
  3. Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center - 785-843-9192
  4. Lawrence Memorial Hospital - 785-505-6162
  5. KU Student of Concern Review Team
  6. KU Student Affairs has other services available

47. Student Governance, Council (STUCO) and Organizations

The Dean’s Office provides administrative oversight and support to pharmacy school student governance, student council (STUCO), and student organizations. The purpose of STUCO is to represent the collective student body on student-related issues, serve as a conduit to facilitate communications between the student body and school administration, faculty, and the University, and to inform the student body of important school-related matters. STUCO is comprised of the elected student leadership within the School including the P1, P2, P3 and P4 class Presidents, Wichita campus representatives from each class and two student Senators. In accordance with STUCO Bylaws, the members of STUCO meet with the Dean and Assistant/Associate Deans a minimum of two times each semester during the academic year to communicate matters of concern relating to the student body that require administrative review, oversight, direction and/or approval. More information on STUCO can be found at: KU Pharmacy Student Council.

The KU School of Pharmacy also offers many opportunities within the numerous student organizations. Similar to STUCO, student leaders from each of the student organizations meet with the Dean and Assistant/Associate Deans a minimum of twice a semester to provide an update on events and communicate matters of concern relating to the student organizations that may require administrative review, oversight, direction and/or approval. More detailed information including current student leaders and faculty advisors to the student organizations can be found at KU Pharmacy Student Organizations.

48. Class Officer Election

The following protocol details the process to select the class officer positions, which include Class President and Vice-President. The duration of a term is for the fall, spring, and the following summer semester.
Eligibility: Candidates must be a full-time student in their respective class, sustain a status of student in good standing for the duration of their elected term, and may be from the Lawrence or Wichita Campus.
Position Responsibilities:
1. President:
  - Represent respective class at the School of Pharmacy STUCO meetings.
  - Actively, and in a timely manner, seek and be responsive and available to represent and convey the concerns and issues of fellow classmates on each campus location, Lawrence, and Wichita.
  - Present issues of concern on behalf of the class at STUCO and to the administration of the School of Pharmacy.
  - In collaboration with KU-Wichita class representatives, convey information on program issues, concerns, and changes to fellow classmates on both campus locations regarding presentations and discussions per STUCO meeting discussions and information provided by the School administration or faculty with respect to a class they are teaching.
  - Serve as a communication support liaison between faculty and class regarding class announcements and time or location changes.
  - Represent respective class at official School of Pharmacy events on request of the Deans Office.
2. Vice-President:
  - The Vice-President will assume the responsibilities of the President if the President is unable to meet the above position responsibilities.
Elected individuals who do not fulfill the above responsibilities may be removed from office at the discretion of the School of Pharmacy administration.
Nominations & Election Process for Positions of Class President and Vice- President: Nominations can be made by any class member or individuals can self- nominate. Nominations for Class President shall be submitted prior to the date of the election. Nominations for Class Vice-President can be submitted prior to the date of the election, and from the floor on the date of the election among the candidates not successfully elected Class President. Students accepting nominations shall provide a brief summary of qualifications and statement of interest for the position of Class President (limited to 75 words). The nominations statement for each candidate will be made available to all class members. Nominees shall confirm by email to pharmacy@ku.edu that they accept the nomination.
P1 Class Officer Elections: Nominations will be accepted after an announcement from the Dean’s Office early in the fall semester. Nominations are to be submitted to pharmacy@ku.edu. The students on the Wichita Campus will participate via teleconferencing. Students must be physically present on either campus to vote unless online voting is implemented. The time and location of the election process will be made available to all students by email.
P2, P3, P4 Class Officer Elections: Nominations are accepted near the end of the spring semester of each academic year. Nominations are to be submitted to pharmacy@ku.edu. Elections will be conducted near the end of the spring semester of each academic year. The time and location of the election process will be made available to all students by email.
Election day: Candidates will provide a brief (2-minute) presentation addressing their qualifications immediately preceding the election. School of Pharmacy administrators will preside over the election process. If the President and Vice-President elect are both students on the same campus location (Lawrence or Wichita) then the class on the other campus will elect a student representative for their class to participate as their respective campus class representative on STUCO. This election, if required, should take place in a timely manner with nominations from the floor following the election of Class President.

49. Postgraduate Education and Training Opportunities

There are many postgraduate opportunities for Pharm.D. students. The SOP provides several sessions and utilizes various means to communicate and inform students of the postgraduate education and training opportunities available. Listed below are some of the common events and other resources available to students.

Residency Club – is a formal event hosted by the SOP every other year on both the KUL and KUW campuses. The four sessions include pharmacy residency program directors, pharmacy residents and pharmacy residency preceptors who provide Pharm.D. students with a broad range of information involving postgraduate residencies.
Pharm.D. Seminars – several Pharm.D. Seminars throughout the curriculum focus on postgraduate opportunities. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs provides an introductory and general session on postgraduate opportunities during the P1 Pharm.D. Seminar. Additional seminars are subsequently scheduled that usually discuss specific postgraduate training opportunities (e.g., pharmacy fellowships).
PHAR 500 Introduction to Pharmacy – this course hosts the series ‘The Day in the Life of a Pharmacist’. Several guest speakers will provide personal lectures to students each from a variety of backgrounds and specialties. Commonly, the guest speakers will discuss the additional training required to practice in their area of expertise.
Email distribution/Canvas posting – the SOP routinely receives information on postgraduate residencies, pharmacy fellowships, and other postgraduate training opportunities. This information is emailed to students and posted on Canvas.
PHPR 526 Intro to Pharmacy Residencies – This elective course is available to P3 students in good academic standing and designed to increase knowledge, interest, and confidence among students potentially seeking residency training; identify and develop the skills necessary to apply to residency programs; and increase the number of students obtaining residency positions upon graduation.
PHPR 529 Introduction to the Pharmaceutical Industry – this elective course is available to P2 and P3 students and designed to introduce the foundations of the pharmaceutical industry and pharmaceutical industry fellowships and help increase the number of students securing fellowships upon graduation.
Student organizations – most student organizations routinely host guest speakers to discuss a variety of postgraduate opportunities. As part of the discussion, the guest speaker will typically describe any additional training or degree that may be required.

Facility Policies

50. Emergency Evacuation

The safety of faculty, staff and students is of the utmost concern and faculty are instructed to be mindful of this in all emergency situations. For the complete policy on emergency responses see KU Emergency Management Plan. Students assigned to the Lawrence campus may access emergency procedures for fire, chemical spills, and bomb threats, in the Dean’s Office. Students assigned to the Wichita campus may access emergency procedures at Support Services Departments - Wichita

51. Inclement Weather / School Closings

The University determines whether to close the Lawrence campus. University Relations will notify the KU Information Center and inform students via email and text, and provide information on the KU homepage.
The Wichita Campus will use the RAVE Alert Messaging System for emergency notification of inclement weather to faculty, staff, employees, residents, and students. Students can also access the KUSM-W inclement weather hotline 316-293-3888 to hear instructions concerning the school’s status and the KU-Wichita homepage.

52. Food in the Classroom

Food and drinks are allowed in the Mortar and Pestle Café area, the Pharmacy Student Lounge, and the Conference Rooms in the Dean’s Suite and Department of Pharmacy Practice on the Lawrence campus. Only bottled water is allowed in any of the classrooms, conference rooms, library, Drug Information Center, basement, and other areas in the School of Pharmacy building. This policy is applicable including when use of these facilities is for scheduled lectures, student organization events and any and all other activities without prior approval from the Dean’s Office.
On the Wichita campus, food and drinks are allowed in the Pharmacy Student Lounge, student study rooms and the White Coat Canteen. Only bottled water in sealed containers is allowed in any of the classrooms and conference rooms without prior approval from the Dean’s Office.
All activities in which food and drink is desired in a classroom, conference room or other food restricted area must be submitted for prior approval to the Dean’s Office on the respective campus. With prior permission from the Deans Office food and drinks may be allowed in other rooms of the building. In those cases, the individuals using the room are responsible for cleanup or costs incurred for cleaning or damage repair.

53. Concealed Carry of Handguns

Individuals who choose to carry concealed handguns are solely responsible to do so in a safe and secure manner in strict conformity with state and federal laws and KU weapons policy (KU Concealed Carry - Fast Facts). Safety measures outlined in the KU weapons policy specify that a concealed handgun must be under the constant control of the carrier; must be out of view, concealed either on the body of the carrier, or backpack, purse, or bag that remains under the carrier’s custody and control; must be in a holster that covers the trigger area, secures any external hammer in an un-cocked position, with the safety on, and with no rounds in the chamber.
Special considerations:
1. Exams/Quizzes:
  1. Instructors are allowed by Kansas Board of Regents policy to require backpacks, purses and other bags be placed away from students during exams and quizzes, and as such those items will not be under the constant control of the individual.
2. Laboratory courses:
  1. Some laboratory courses may require students to leave belongings such as backpacks and purses away and unattended for the duration of class time.
3. Performance assessment:
  1. Courses that utilize actor-based performance assessment may require students to leave belongings such as backpacks and purses away and unattended for the duration of class time.
  2. Courses that utilize actor-based performance assessment may require movement and/or physical contact with others (physical assessment of a patient) that may reveal the presence of a concealed handgun.
4. Activities at KUMC or other healthcare facilities for rotation (IPPE, APPE, IPE):
  1. Students will be required to visit certain facilities/areas associated with KU that do not permit concealed carry of handguns. It is the student’s responsibility to know the gun laws and restrictions of these locations, plan accordingly, and not be in violation of state and federal laws.
Storage of handguns
1. The University does not provide appropriate secured storage for concealed handguns. The lockers in the basement of the School of Pharmacy are not approved secured storage for handguns. Students who choose to carry a concealed handgun in a purse, backpack, or bag must review and plan each day accordingly, and are responsible for making alternate arrangements as necessary. Students must transfer their handgun to an approved secure storage device in their vehicle or their residence if the events of the day (e.g., exams, quizzes, labs, performance assessment) dictate.
Violation of policy
1. Individuals who violate the KU weapons policy may be asked to leave campus with the weapon and may face disciplinary action under the appropriate university code of conduct.

KU Pharmacy Student Handbook

Table of Contents

Foreword/Introduction

1. Introduction

2. Defining Statements, Outcomes, and Goals

Academic Information, Policies, and Procedures

3. Overview of the Pharm.D. Program

4. Elective and Didactic Course Requirements

5. Experiential Education Program

6. Minor in Business

7. Pharm.D. Research Certificate Program

8. Pharm.D. / M.B.A. Combined Degree Program

9. Pharm.D. / M.S. in Clinical Research “TL1” Program

10. Pharm.D. / Health Informatics Certificate and M.S. Dual Degree

11. Scholastic Standing

12. Course Withdrawal

13. Programmatic Requirements

14. Academic, Professional, Scholarly, and Research Misconduct

15. Honor Code and Honor Council

16. Student Grievance Policy and Procedure

17. Accommodations of Individuals with Disabilities or Religious Observances That Conflict with the Curriculum

18. Filming, Recording, and Commercial Note-Taking

19. Recorded Lectures

20. Late or Missing assignments

21. Class Attendance

22. Examinations and Study Materials

23. Examination Date/Schedule Policy

24. Inclement Weather or Threats During Exams

25. Class Disruptions

26. Course Handouts

27. KU Email (@ku.edu) and Educational Technology Requirements

28. Dress Code

29. Professional Meeting Attendance and Student Travel Policy

30. Classroom Visitors and Seating

31. Criminal Background Checks

32. Campus Reassignment

33. Temporary Attendance at an Alternative Campus

Matriculation Policies

34. Technical Standards

35. Pharmacy Intern Registration / Background Checks

36. Pre-Pharmacy Course Transfer

37. Professional Course Transfer

Student Services / Opportunities

38. University Academic Support Center

39. Financial Aid and Scholarships

40. Professional Advising

41. Tutoring Services

42. DEIB, Non-discrimination, and Accessibility Services

43. Internship Support Services

44. Career Placement and Licensure

45. Chemical Dependence/Impairment

46. Student Health / Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

47. Student Governance, Council (STUCO) and Organizations

48. Class Officer Election

49. Postgraduate Education and Training Opportunities

Facility Policies

50. Emergency Evacuation

51. Inclement Weather / School Closings

52. Food in the Classroom

53. Concealed Carry of Handguns