Policies and Procedures

Professional Behavior Code of Conduct

When you are a Department of Communicative Disorders graduate student, you must adhere to the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics. You should avoid even an appearance of improper behavior or lack of ethical standards while a student, in all professional settings, and in your personal life—and conduct yourself according to the standards expected of members of the professional community to which you aspire.

Regulations and Codes of Ethics

Students must adhere to the rules and regulations contained in the following UW statutes:
- UWS 14: Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures
  Violation of the Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS 14 may result in University disciplinary action such as disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion.
- UWS 17: Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures
  Violation of the Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS 17 may result in University disciplinary action such as disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion.
- UWS 18: Conduct on University Lands
  Violation of the Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS 18 may result in University disciplinary action such as a fine of not more than $500 for each offense, imprisonment for no more than 6 months for each offence, and/or disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Students must adhere to the ASHA Code of Ethics
Violation of the ASHA Code of Ethics may result in disciplinary action as determined by the UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders.
Students must adhere to the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Code of Ethics Violations of the AAA Code of Ethics may result in disciplinary action as determined by the UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders.
Students must adhere to the Department of Communicative Disorder’s Professional Behavior Code of Conduct as defined below: “Unprofessional behavior towards clients, faculty, staff, peers and public are significant issues in the evaluation and promotion of Communicative Disorders students. Inappropriate behavior may be grounds for failure to promote, dismissal and/or denial of degree. Separate and apart from a violation of the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct, a student may face University disciplinary action with regard to the same action.”

Guidelines and Responsibilities

The following are professional behavior guidelines and responsibilities that the University of Wisconsin Communicative Disorders Department expects of its students.

Interpersonal Relationships. Students shall communicate with and treat instructors, fellow students, clients, staff, allied professionals and the public in a professional manner. This includes addressing them in a collegial, professional manner and respecting individual rights to hold opinions that differ from their own.
Honesty, Integrity and Confidentiality. In the pursuit and achievement of all academic and professional matters, students shall act fairly and honestly. They shall treat all confidential information in an appropriate manner. In the clinical circumstance, the student-client relationship is dependent on the client’s assurance that the clinician or student-clinician will not divulge sensitive information to others. Thus, client records and all conversations between student and client are considered confidential and shall not be disclosed or made available to any person not directly involved in the client’s care.
Professional Appearance. Students shall maintain a physical appearance and personal hygiene that is conducive to developing effective client relationships. Students who do not appear well groomed and appropriately attired when interacting with a client are at risk for jeopardizing client respect and for creating a barrier to effective communication. Examples of inappropriate attire in professional settings include blue jeans, shorts, short skirts, tee shirts, and shirts revealing bare midriffs. In certain professional settings, facial jewelry, other than earrings, may be viewed as inappropriate.
Professional Responsibility and Judgment. Students are expected to meet their educational and clinical responsibilities at all times. While personal issues that conflict or interfere with such obligations can arise, every effort should be made by the student to resolve the conflict in a professional manner by assuring that client care is not compromised and that appropriate instructors, clinical supervisors, and administration are notified in a timely fashion. Students who are unable to attend class are responsible for finding out what occurred that day and should not expect instructors to give them individual instruction. Students shall not participate in classroom and clinical activities while under the influence of alcohol or any psychoactive substances, unless the use of such a substance is under the orders of a physician or other licensed health care provider.

Procedures for Alleged Infractions of the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct

The Professional Behavior Code of Conduct and the Procedures for Alleged Infractions of the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct shall be published on the Department’s Web site. Students are responsible for reading the information and material as well as the information published on all the relevant web sites shown above. Lack of knowledge of this information does not excuse any infraction.

Concerns about infractions of the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct may be effectively handled informally between the instructor and the student. If a resolution is not achieved, a UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders Advisor may be brought into the discussion.

In cases of allegations of unprofessional behavior:

Faculty, residents, staff, fellow students, clients or members of the non-academic community who believe that a student has failed to adhere to the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct should contact the Chair’s office of the Communicative Disorders Department within a reasonable time of learning of the alleged failure. The Chair’s designee will advise the alleging party of the appropriate University and Department of Communicative Disorders procedure that may apply to the situation.
If appropriate, the Chair’s designee will instruct the alleging party to prepare a written statement describing the alleged failure to adhere to the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct. This statement, along with any supporting materials, shall be submitted to the office of the Chair within ten (10) days of the issuance of the instructions.
In writing, the Chair’s designee shall notify the student who is alleged to have failed to adhere to the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct of the allegation. The Chair’s designee shall either: a.) request written response by the student to the allegation, to be submitted to the Chair’s office within ten (10) days of notice, or (b) schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the allegation.
The student may contact their Advisor for information regarding the investigation and review process.
Following investigation and review of all available information, the Chair’s designee shall determine whether the allegations potentially violate the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct. If so, the Chair’s designee shall send a letter to the student explaining findings of the investigation and informing the student that the case will be presented to the Professional Behavior Committee consisting of a Communicative Disorders department advisor and two other faculty members as determined by the Chair.
The Chair’s designee shall present the case to the Professional Behavior Committee.
The student shall attend an open-session portion of the Committee meeting and may be accompanied by an advocate.
The student shall have an opportunity to present relevant information, including witnesses. The student also has the right to question any witness presented by the department.
Each party must speak for him/herself, including questioning of witnesses, even if legal counsel or another representative has been retained.
The meeting shall not be bound by common law or statutory rules of evidence and may admit information having reasonable probative value, but shall exclude immaterial, irrelevant, or unduly repetitious testimony, and shall give effect to recognized legal privileges.
The Committee shall make a record of the meeting. Any party to the meeting may obtain copies of the record at his/her expense.
The Committee shall have access to all relevant school records of the student alleged to have failed to adhere to the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct.
The Committee shall make its decision during a closed-session portion of the meeting. Decisions are made by a majority of voting members present.
If the Committee finds a student has violated the Professional Behavior Code of Conduct, when determining appropriate sanction, the Committee may take into account prior incidences of review by the Committee. Allegations of unprofessional behavior brought to the attention of the Chair but not requiring review by the Committee and allegations of academic or nonacademic misconduct brought to the attention of the Dean of Students also may be taken into consideration.
Sanctions that may be imposed for unprofessional behavior include:
1. Written reprimand
2. Denial of specified UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders privilege(s)
3. Imposition of reasonable terms and conditions on continued student status
4. Disciplinary probation
5. Restitution
6. Removal of the student from the course(s) in progress
7. Failure to promote
8. Withdrawal of an offer of admission
9. Placement on Medical Leave for up to one year
10. Suspension from a UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders program for up to one year with the stipulation that remedial activities may be prescribed as a condition of later readmission. Students who meet the readmission condition must apply for readmission and the student will be admitted only on a space available basis
11. Suspension from a UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders program. The suspensions may range from one semester to four years.
12. Dismissal from a UW-Madison Department of Communicative Disorders program
13. Denial of a degree
A student receiving any sanction included in (d) through (m) above is not permitted to seek or hold office in any Department of Communicative Disorders school student organization, is not permitted to represent the Department of Communicative Disorders in any capacity, and is ineligible for awards and non-needs-based scholarships from the Department of Communicative Disorders.
The Committee shall prepare written findings of fact and a written statement of its decision based upon the record of the meeting. If the decision by the Committee is adverse to the student, the decision shall include notification that the student may appeal the decision to the Chair.
The decision of the Committee shall be delivered in writing to the student either by personal delivery or by first class US mail.

Appeal of a Decision of the Professional Behavior Committee

A student may appeal a decision of the Professional Behavior Committee to the Chair of the Department of Communicative Disorders. Appeals shall be in writing and be received or postmarked within ten (10) calendar days of the student’s receipt of the Committee's decision. The appeal must be based on: 1) new facts that were not available at the time of the Committee meeting and that have direct bearing on the student’s professional behavior, 2) a claim of inadequate consideration of specific information by the Committee, 3) a claim that the Committee did not follow appropriate procedures, or 4) a claim that the Committee’s action was unduly severe. If an appeal is based on availability of new facts that were not available at the time of the Professional Behavior Committee meeting, the Chair may direct the Committee to reconsider the case. The Chair’s decision is final.
Any Committee decision involving medical leave, suspension, or dismissal will be referred automatically to the Chair for review. If, upon review, the Chair upholds the decision of the Committee, the student may appeal the decision to the faculty of the Department of Communicative Disorders. In such an appeal, the student shall appear in person before the Faculty of the Department of Communicative Disorders at a regular or a specially-called faculty/academic staff meeting to present his/her case. Voting faculty/academic staff members in attendance will render an appeal decision, which is final.
In the case of appeal to the Chair or to the Faculty, the student must speak for him/herself, even if legal counsel has been retained.

Rights & Grievances

General Rights and Responsibilities

Visit the following campus Web sites for detailed information on student rights and responsibilities:

Dean of Students: UW Division of Student Life

Disabilities:

Discrimination or Harassment

Privacy: Office of the Registrar

Conduct: Student Assistance and Judicial Affairs

Complaints, Grievances, and Concerns

If you believe your rights have been violated, feel that you have been dealt with unfairly, or have other concerns within the department, we encourage you to seek a resolution of the problem at the departmental level.

Specifically, student grievances and complaints regarding instruction or grading, faculty or academic-staff conduct, or other concerns should be directed to the department chair or associate chair.

Note on grade conflicts: In cases of grade conflicts, talk with the course instructor first. If the difference is not resolved, document the specific concerns and differences between your and the instructor’s perceptions, including documentation, and submit this to the department chair. (You may wish to first consult with the chair to determine what specific information to provide.) This document will then be discussed during a meeting between you, the course instructor, and the chair.

If a complaint or grievance has arisen at another level within the university, the chair or associate chair will provide advice regarding the appropriate contact person and procedures to follow.

If you have a complaint about the program or its accreditation, see ASHA’s Complaint Procedures for how to lodge a complaint with the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

In cases of sexual harassment, you are urged to contact Professor Cynthia Fowler, the department contact person for such complaints.

Faculty and academic staff concerns, grievances, or complaints regarding students are also directed to the chair or associate chair.

UW-Madison Department Procedures

Building Access and Security

Goodnight Hall is open during normal business hours. Use your WisCard to enter the building after hours.

Building permits are issued to students when they enter the program. Students who intend to be in Goodnight Hall after hours or on weekends should obtain a special building permit from the department’s building manager. The Department of Police and Security routinely checks for permits after hours and on weekends.

To access security-locked rooms in the building, you must obtain a code from the faculty/staff member in charge of the space.

Bulletin Boards

Bulletin boards are located throughout the first, third and fourth floors according to primary use (i.e., the third floor boards are for faculty and staff; the fourth floor boards for students). Please review them often for current information.

Committees

The University of Wisconsin is a faculty-governed University. The department chair manages the affairs of the department, and various departmental committees develop and administer academic, clinic, and research policies. Student participation on all departmental committees is encouraged.

Equipment and Facilities

Assessment Instruments and Materials. Room 447 of Goodnight Hall contains a library of assessment materials that you are likely to use in clinic or in courses. Never removed these tests from the room, and please return them to their appropriate location when you are finished.
The library also holds copies of tests that can be checked out. Please follow the posted checkout procedures and promptly return the test to the appropriate location.
Audiovisual Equipment: Audiovisual equipment is located in the basement, and on the first, third, and fourth floors. Rules and regulations are posted in the rooms where the equipment is located.
Computers: Computers for student use are located in the IT Lab in Room 403. Computers that are located in faculty/staff offices are not available to students.

Files saved on IT Lab computers will be erased at 1:00 AM nightly due to a scheduled system restart, or anytime if there is an unscheduled system restart. Always keep your files in a safe, personal location.

You receive a fixed dollar amount each year to cover printing costs; after you reach this quota, you must pay by the page. There is no discount for double-sided printing, though we encourage you to do so to conserve paper.

IT Lab training sessions are held at the beginning of the academic year. Please direct any questions about the lab to the department’s information processing consultant.
Furniture: All furniture should remain where it was originally placed. If you need to move furniture in the clinic or on the first floor, you must get permission from a clinical professor or the clinic coordinator. If you need to move furniture in other areas of the department, you must get permission from the academic department supervisor or the graduate studies coordinator.
Photocopiers: The photocopier on the fourth floor is for student use. The photocopier on the third floor is for faculty and staff use only; however, students can make copies of clinic-related documents with permission of their clinical supervisor.
Videoediting. Video editing equipment for course- and clinic-related activities is located in room 330 of Goodnight Hall. Written instructions are provided and you must be trained before you can use this equipment. Please direct questions to the department’s information processing consultant.

Facility Assignments

Department space assignments are made by the department chair and are based on the University Space Policy and departmental committee.

All offices are for the use of the designated occupant only. Students should not enter offices without permission. Staff offices also contain confidential information and files that are not to be used without the occupant’s permission.

Infection Control

It is important to protect your health and safety and the health and safety of the clients you serve during your practica and clerkship experiences in the University Speech and Hearing Clinic.

Due to the increased prevalence of infectious diseases and the expanded scope of practice for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, infection control and prevention of disease transmission are crucial concerns for the practicing clinician.

The department has a set of standard precautions that should be used when providing services in the UWSHC:

Mail and E-mail

Faculty and staff mailboxes are located on the third floor of Goodnight Hall. Student mailboxes are located in the Student Lounge on the fourth floor. You are urged to check your mailbox daily.

Incoming campus or US mail addressed to a student is kept in a box in the clinic receptionist’s office on the first floor. Students are responsible for checking that mailbox.

Students are urged to check their wisc.edu email account at least once daily. All departmental e-mail communications will be sent to your wisc.edu address only.

Recommendations

If you are seeking a professional recommendation for future employment or additional training, first ask the faculty member for permission to use his/her name as a reference, and then make a request for a letter of recommendation.

If you are seeking a general recommendation that will not be addressed to any particular individual, please state this upfront. In these causes, you should consider setting up a file at the Educational Portfolios and Career Services Office.

Otherwise, specify the type of position for which the recommendation is to be made and to whom it should be sent.

To request forwarding of copies of letters of recommendation that were sent earlier to the department in support of your graduate application, please do the following:

Contact the writer of the original letter, to inform him/her of the request and to secure written permission to copy the letter for forwarding to a named person or institution.
Inform the writer of the original letter of the reason for requesting that his/her letter be forwarded (e.g., admission to another graduate school, employment recommendation).

The department needs permission from both the writer of the original letter and the student to proceed with the request without violating the Buckley Amendment. After this is received, the requested information will be sent for the cost of photocopying plus postage.

To avoid potential problems photocopying letters of recommendation, students are urged to check into and use the services offered by the School of Education’s Educational Portfolios and Career Services Office.

Student Files

Student files are confidential, but you may request permission from the Graduate Studies Coordinator to examine materials in your file.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) prohibits us from sending copies of letters and/or other materials in your file to other individuals or institutions. The terms of this Act, protecting your rights as a student, prevent us from using material in your file for any purpose other than for what it was originally intended.

Telephones and Cell Phones

All telephones are a part of the State Telephone System, and personal calls are prohibited by state law. If you need to make a call on department business, you must obtain permission from a faculty or staff member. Personal messages for students will be taken for emergencies only.

Always turn off your cell phone during classes and when conferencing with faculty, staff, and clients.