Academic Policies

Policies

Academic Integrity

Academic Honesty

Studying and working in bioethics requires the highest standards of integrity. Students are expected to follow the university community's high standards of honesty and professionalism throughout the program. They are also expected to show seriousness and intellectual dedication, respect for the views and convictions of others, concern for the impact of advanced knowledge on society at large, regard for instructors, fellow students and the program as a whole and, above all, adherence to the highest ethical and moral standards in their personal and professional lives.

Research and Submitted Work

Research and Submitted Work: Maintenance of good standing while a student in the program is, in part, dependent on developing and maintaining standards of ethical and professional conduct. It is expected and assumed that all submissions of examinations, course assignments, capstone projects and other degree requirements are the student’s own work and that any work by others included in student submissions will be fully credited and cited. Evidence to the contrary will result in penalties which may include failure in the course, disciplinary dismissal, or such other penalties as are deemed proper.

Plagiarism

More specifically, plagiarism is the use of the ideas, words or work of another without due attribution. Acts of plagiarism are inconsistent with scholarly and ethical inquiry, and represent an unacceptable breach of professional standards. When the instructor finds that a student's work is plagiarized the student will receive an F in the course; transcripts will accurately and permanently reflect a failing final grade. Additional sanctions may occur at the discretion of program faculty.

Academic Status

Full and Part-Time Status

Matriculated students are considered full-time when they register for eight (8) seminar credits per semester. Half-time students are those registered for four (4) credits per semester. Part-time students are those matriculated who register for fewer than four (4) credits per semester.

Academic or Personal Leave of Absence

The Program Director may grant an Academic or Personal Leave of Absence for a period of three months to a maximum of twelve months. This may be considered appropriate if the student is experiencing academic problems involving personal issues, conflicts, or the need for counseling beyond normal tutoring. Students considering a leave should be in conversation with the Program Director and Registrar several weeks in advance of applying for leave and should submit a formal application before the beginning of a given semester. Please see the appropriate section of the Program Handbook for procedures.

International Students

As a condition of maintaining student status, all international students must pursue a “full course of study.” Therefore the Academic or Personal Leave of Absence is not available to international students. There are limited exceptions to this, and approval must be granted by the Program Director, Einstein Registrar and the ISSO (International Students and Scholars Office) as regulations change frequently. In the event that an already matriculated international student has difficulty in fulfilling visa requirements to re-enter the U.S. and is more than thirty days past the agreed date of return, the ISSO must be contacted immediately.

Sick Leave and Medical Leave of Absence

The Program Director may place a student on a temporary Medical Leave of Absence in case of prolonged illness or other medical emergency. This leave may also be appropriate in the case of chronic physical or mental illness. At the beginning of a Medical Leave of Absence, the student must submit a Leave of Absence form, and upon return from the Leave of Absence, the student must formally notify the Registrar. Extended Medical Leaves of Absence over a longer period, generally six months to a maximum of twelve months, will be granted only with the approval of the Program Director. Students who absent themselves from the masters or certificate program without notice may be subject to disciplinary actions, including dismissal.

Grading Policy

Evaluative Grades

As of Fall 2011, performance in all BIOE courses offered through Einstein are given final evaluations on the following grading scale:

  • Honors (H)
  • Pass (P)
  • Fail (F)

Pass (P) is awarded for work earning a B or higher, the one exception being A+ work that goes beyond the stipulated demands of the course, for which Honors (H) is reserved. Work earning B- or below is not typically given a P.Note: Non-BIOE courses (such as those offered by Cardozo Law School) may be evaluated with a letter grade, which when applied toward the MBE degree can be converted by our Registrar, using the scale above, with transcript notation.

Administrative Grades

Administrative actions in all courses may be given one of the following grades:

  • G (dropped by student without permission = failure)
  • I (Incomplete)
  • W (withdrawal without penalty or prejudice)
Incomplete Grade Policy

All coursework must be completed by the end of the semester in which the course is taken. Students should not assume that an instructor will automatically grant a mark of Incomplete if work is missing. Students should email the course instructor in advance of the last day of class/exam date to request an incomplete and indicate when all missing work will be submitted. An email from the instructor confirming the work required to remove the incomplete should be sent to the Program Director.

Note: A mark of “I” (Incomplete) cannot be carried for more than one semester. Special permission from the Program Director is required to carry an incomplete for more than one semester.

Class Non-Attendance Policy

Students are permitted to miss no more than one session per course in a given semester. Permission of the instructor is required for additional absences. Any student with more than 3 absences in a course will be given an automatic grade of G.

Maintenance of Academic Standards

Academic Probation

A student who, during a semester, Fails a course or receives an excessive number of Incompletes is placed on academic probation for the following semester. If in any subsequent semester another course is failed, or the student receives an Incomplete, the student may be dropped from the program at the discretion of the program faculty.

Note: No course in which a grade of F, G, W or I is in standing can be credited to the Certificate or Masters degree.

Performance Review

If a student is placed on probation, a faculty committee appointed by the Program Director will review performance with the student and determine whether withdrawal is required. The committee will develop a remediation plan for a student permitted to continue their program of study.

Academic Discipline

A student’s admission, continued enrollment, receipt of academic credits, graduation, and the conferring of any degree, diploma, or certificate on the student are entirely subject to the disciplinary powers of the program and dependent upon the student maintaining high standards of ethical and scholarly conduct. The program is free to dismiss the student at any time for infringement of these standards.

Note: A mark of “I” (Incomplete) cannot be carried for more than one semester. Special permission from the Program Director is required to carry an incomplete for more than one semester.

Academic Counseling and Support

Academic Counseling and Support is available through Einstein’s Office of Academic Support and Counseling. It should be noted by students that the Center's faculty and staff are both very supportive and approachable, and that asking for support early — or late — is much preferable to infringements of the university's standards of academic integrity.

Medical Protections

Health Insurance

All students enrolled at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University are required to have basic health insurance. In order to fulfill this requirement, the College does provide, at a cost, health care coverage in the Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plan. If you currently have health insurance through another source, you must show proof of coverage, and request a waiver of coverage from the University. Waiver of coverage forms are available from the Benefits Office, located in the Belfer Building Room 1203 on the Einstein Campus. If the waiver of coverage form is not completed and submitted to the Benefits Office by September 30th, you will be automatically enrolled (for single coverage) under the student health plan and you will be billed for this coverage.

Injuries

All injuries and accidents to students while engaged in classroom work should be reported by the faculty member in charge of the course to the Einstein’s Occupational Health Services Office. Please call 718.430.3141. Students are required to report immediately to the Center of Bioethics Administrator any other injury suffered on University premises.

Psychological Counseling

Affordable psychological counseling is available through the Parnes Clinic of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, information for which can be found here.

Student Rights

Grievance Policy and Procedures

Einstein is committed to a policy of resolving all student grievances through a formal set of procedures designed to ensure that the student's issue or concern is resolved fairly. Student grievance procedures are as follows:

  1. Students should discuss the issue or concern with their faculty adviser.
  2. If the student thinks that the issue or concern is still unresolved by the faculty adviser the student should discuss the issue or concern with the Program Director.
  3. If the Program Director cannot resolve the student's issue then the Program Director will convene an ad hoc committee of program faculty to address the issue. The Program Director will inform student of the committee’s decision and resolution.
Privacy Rights

Einstein has adopted regulations to protect the privacy rights of its students under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. For details, see the section below on Student Records and Privacy Rights of Students.

Procedures Regarding Harassment

Albert Einstein College of Medicine is committed to maintaining an environment for research, learning and teaching that is free from even the appearance of unlawful harassment or coercion. The College has adopted a zero tolerance stance against unlawful harassment in any form, making it a violation of College policy, and declaring it antithetical to the academic values of the College. Detailed information about the College’s policy regarding harassment can be found here.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Einstein will coordinate reasonable accommodations and support services for eligible students. Some of the disabilities served include physical, emotional, learning disabilities, ADHD, hearing impairments, visual impairments, etc. Any student who suspects that he may have a disability or who has a documented disability is welcome to discuss it with the Program Director. Detailed information about the College's policy regarding ADA can be found here.

Equal Opportunity

The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in admission and all other facets of its educational programs and activities. The University encourages applications from qualified students regardless of sex, religion, age, race, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, within the meaning of applicable law. Inquiries concerning the University's nondiscrimination policies may be referred to the Affirmative Action Administrator, Yeshiva University, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461-1602 attn.: Renee Coker, Diversity & Affirmative Action Officer (718.430.3771).

Suspension or Dismissal from Center Programs

Suspension

In the case of a serious breach of ethical or professional conduct or in the case of serious concern for the health or safety of a student or any other person or Einstein faculty, the Program Director may, upon consultation with Center faculty and Einstein officials deemed appropriate and informed, suspend a student immediately, pending further consideration by the appropriate and informed administrative staff, wherein a recommendation can be made for subsequent return to status, return to leave, or dismissal from the program.

Dismissal

Grounds for considering dismissal from the Einstein's programs include:

  1. Failure of one or more graduate courses;
  2. Failure of a repeated graduate course;
  3. Failure of a required course, subject to the recommendation of the appropriate faculty member;
  4. Failure to re-matriculate following expiration of a Leave of Absence;
  5. Participation in actions that are not commensurate with high standards of ethical or professional scholarly conduct.

Einstein faculty and administration will consider all aspects of a student’s performance in evaluating his or her continued matriculation at Einstein. Recommendation for dismissal from the Certificate or Masters program can be submitted by a member of the faculty committee, but only the Program Director may dismiss a student from these programs.

Appeals

A student may appeal in writing a decision of the Program Director for dismissal to the Dean of Einstein College of Medicine. Appeals must be communicated, in writing, to the Dean within fifteen days of the date of the communication of the decision for dismissal by the Program Director to the student. A student may be advised by a person from the College of Medicine in the preparation of an appeal. The Dean will consider the appeal and either sustain, modify or reverse the decision of the Program Director. The Dean's determination of the issues shall be final.

Student Records and Privacy Rights

Einstein Policy on FERPA

In accordance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 USC 1232g), commonly referred to as the "Buckley Amendment," we take this opportunity to inform you of the Einstein policies with regards to the educational records of our students. These policies have recently been examined to assure compliance with the Privacy Act, and are made available to you in accordance with its provisions. Download the complete policy here. Students may obtain copies of this statement upon request from the Registrar. Revisions may be published from time to time to conform to the law and college policies.

Use of the College of Medicine's Name

Usage Policy

No student or student organization may use the name of Albert Einstein College of Medicine or of the Center for Bioethics for any purpose, including identification, without written permission from Einstein and the Program and Center Directors.