Master of Public Health Practicum Manual:

Section 6. Practicum Policies

The following expectations for conduct and behavior apply to all constituents of the university, including students, faculty, and staff. The university supports and expects its members to comply with the principles developed by the International Center for Academic Integrity, as follows:   

• Honesty: An academic community of integrity advances the quest for truth and knowledge by requiring intellectual and personal honesty in learning, teaching, research, and service.   
• Trust: An academic community of integrity fosters a climate of mutual trust, encourages the free exchange of ideas, and enables all to reach their highest potential.   
• Fairness: An academic community of integrity establishes clear standards, practices, and procedures and expects fairness in the interactions of students, instructors, and administrators.   
• Respect: An academic community of integrity recognizes the participatory nature of the learning process and honors and respects a wide range of opinions and ideas.   
• Responsibility: An academic community of integrity upholds personal accountability and depends upon action in the face of wrongdoing.   

Walden is committed to conducting its affairs in accordance with this code in a socially responsible and ethical manner consistent with the Walden community’s respective educational, research, scholarly, and social change missions. As such, Walden supports a code of conduct that is consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws guaranteeing nondiscrimination for all protected classifications, as well as with the university’s nondiscrimination policies. In addition, members shall not conduct themselves either inside or outside of the classroom in a manner that is unduly disruptive or unethical or that might lower the status or damage the reputation of the university.   

All Walden students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout their studies, including the practicum, in accordance with university requirements.   

There can be situations in which students maintain satisfactory academic standing but exhibit behaviors that raise questions about their capacity as professionals. There are a number of professional skills and characteristics that are important for those who provide services to children, adolescents, and adults, as well as to professional organizations, in a variety of settings. These interpersonal/professional skills include, but are not limited to, adherence to ethical standards published by professional organizations, professional deportment, sensitivity to client issues, compliance with the directives of faculty members, preceptors, or other field site personnel, and appropriate use of supervision. Situations can arise in which faculty members, students, or other professionals observe behaviors by other students that demonstrate a lack of appropriate interpersonal or professional skills. The purpose of this policy is to provide a set of procedures that Walden faculty members will use to address such issues.   

For the purposes of this procedure, a distinction is made between different types of behaviors that impede student development. These include (a) problem behaviors, (b) inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct, and (c) critical behaviors.   

Problem Behaviors   

Problem behaviors occur when a student’s attitude and/or behavior is of concern and requires remediation but is not unexpected for professionals in training. These types of behaviors include, but are not limited to, performance anxiety, discomfort with clients of diverse ethnic backgrounds, and lack of appreciation for field site rules and expectations. These types of behaviors:   

• Can typically be remediated with feedback and further training and supervision.   
• Do not result in the potential for physical and/or emotional harm to others.   
• Are limited in duration.   
• Will likely not develop into an inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct situation.   

Inappropriate and/or Unprofessional Conduct   

Inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct is defined broadly as an interference in professional functioning that is reflected in one or more of the following ways:   

• An inability and/or unwillingness to acquire and integrate professional standards into one’s repertoire of professional behavior.   
• An inability to acquire professional skills to reach an acceptable level of competency.   
• An inability to control personal stress and/or excessive emotional reactions that interfere with professional functioning.   
• Resistance to or noncompliance with direction from preceptors or faculty members.  

Problems typically become identified as inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct when they include one or more of the following characteristics:   

• The student fails to acknowledge, understand, or address the problem when it is identified, resulting in further manifestations signifying a more pervasive problem.   
• The problem is not merely a reflection of a skill deficit that can be remediated by academic or didactic training. In this case, a group of professional experts (e.g., practicum course faculty members and preceptors) determines that the deficit is likely not correctable.   
• The quality of services delivered by the student is sufficiently negatively affected.   
• The problem negatively affects another students’ learning.   
• A disproportionate amount of attention and intervention by training personnel and/or instructors is required to remediate the problem.   
• The student’s behavior does not change as a function of feedback, remediation efforts, and/or time.   

Critical Behaviors   

While critical behaviors can occur in the online learning environment, they are most likely to manifest during face-to-face meetings (e.g., residencies, meetings associated with coursework, practicum settings). Critical behaviors put, or have the potential to put, students or faculty members (including one’s self) at risk for physical harm or serious emotional distress. These types of behaviors include, but are not limited to, the following:   

• Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.   
• Carrying a weapon.  
• Harassing, sexual or other types.   
• Having thoughts of suicide.  
• Abusing verbally.  
• Exhibiting psychological problems (e.g., those associated with such things as psychosis or mania).  
• Threats of harm, intimidation, and abusive or threatening postings.   

These behaviors may result in legal, law enforcement, medical, and/or mental health interventions. The procedures for addressing these behaviors are covered in the Review Process for Code of Conduct Violations section of the student handbook.

In Walden’s Code of Conduct, the university maintains the following nondiscrimination and nonharassment policies.   

Nondiscrimination   

Walden University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination by or against members of the university community on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, or other protected characteristics in the admission to, access to, or treatment or employment in any of its programs or activities.   

Sexual Harassment   

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 prohibits sexual discrimination in educational settings. Walden’s sexual misconduct policy, which includes policies related to sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence may be found in the student handbook and by visiting Student Safety/Title IX.   

If students have been a victim of any form of sexual violence, harassment, or discrimination (or know someone who has), whether at a Walden-sponsored event or at a field experience site, their first priority is their own personal safety. After the students are safe, they should contact either the field experience coordinator or Walden’s Title IX coordinator. The Title IX coordinator is responsible for receiving and processing, in a timely manner, reports from students, faculty, staff, and administrators regarding rights and responsibilities concerning sexual misconduct in violation of Title IX. Any questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to the Walden University Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinator or to the Office of Civil Rights.  

Walden University’s Title IX Coordinators   
Title IX Coordinator   
Gina Dyson, Dean, Student Affairs  
Phone: 443-220-7016   
E-mail: TitleIX@mail.waldenu.edu  

Title IX Deputy Coordinator   
Julie K. Ogren, Director, Student Organizations and Planning  
Phone: 410-525-4341  
E-mail: TitleIX@mail.waldenu.edu   

Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Academic Residencies  
Dr. Maranda Griffin, Sr. Director, Operations, Academic Residencies  
Phone: 952.444.9079  
E-mail: TitleIX@mail.waldenu.edu  

During their practicum, students may be vulnerable to any number of difficulties that can pose barriers to a successful learning experience. By the time students reach the end of the program, they are entering the work setting and should demonstrate effective problem-solving skills in many difficult situations. However, students are not expected to resolve practicum problems alone.   

Practicum Site Personnel   

If a problem develops between students and their practicum preceptor (or other site personnel), students should consult the appropriate individual at Walden to help determine the appropriate strategy to resolve the problem in an informal manner: first, students should consult the practicum course faculty member, and then, if needed, the field experience coordinator. The field experience coordinator will notify the Associate Dean, Applied Practice and Continuing Education.  

Significant problems that arise in the practicum setting should be addressed using the process available to employees at the site, which may be officially documented in the site Affiliation Agreement signed for the practicum experience. The appropriate Walden faculty or staff member will assist students in preparing any necessary documentation and will closely monitor the progress of the problem resolution, including any grievance process.   

The Associate Dean, Applied Practice and Continuing Education should inform the Dean, MPH & DrPH Programs and the College of Health Science and Public Policy dean about any unresolved issues and must formally document the efforts to resolve the issues presented. The dean will review the efforts to resolve the problem and inform students of other possible recourse options.   

Walden Faculty or Staff Members   

Consistent with ethical guidelines, in nearly all situations, students should initially address any concerns directly with the faculty or staff member involved (e.g., practicum course faculty member) and attempt to resolve the issue at an informal level, before proceeding to a request for intervention (e.g., from the program director or dean). Failure to address the problem at the program level may delay resolution, as the problem will likely be referred back to the program level.   

There shall be no retaliation against any student who identifies a problem or seeks assistance in resolving a conflict involving a member of Walden’s faculty or staff, including those students who choose to file a formal grievance.   

Step 1. Consult the Associate Dean, Applied Practice and Continuing Education If a problem develops between students and their practicum course faculty member (or other faculty or staff member), the Associate Dean, Applied Practice and Continuing Education will help students determine the appropriate strategy to resolve the problem in an informal manner. The faculty or staff member and/or the Associate Dean, Applied Practice and Continuing Education should fully inform the Associate Dean, MPH & DrPH Program and the dean about any unresolved issues and document all attempts to resolve the issues students have presented. All parties should receive copies of any documentation after it is submitted to and approved by the appropriate dean.   

Step 2. Consult the Dean   

If students are not able to resolve the problem with the support and intervention of the practicum director and the program director, they should approach the dean to seek guidance and/or intervention. The dean should already have copies of all the documentation of the problem and resolution efforts. The dean will initiate further investigation of the concern. Students may be offered counseling or other needed supports at the dean’s discretion.   

Step 3. Consider Filing a Grievance   

If the dean is unable to facilitate resolution of the problem, students may consider filing a grievance following Walden University’s grievance procedure, as described below. Note: Filing a grievance may initiate reassignment of one or more of the involved parties for a reasonable period to allow for an appropriate investigation of the situation. The right to confidentiality, both of the complainant and of the accused, will be respected to the extent possible insofar as it does not interfere with the institution’s legal obligation or ability to investigate allegations of misconduct brought to the university’s attention or to take corrective action when it is found that misconduct has occurred.   

A formal grievance must be identified as such in writing and directed to the chief academic officer, using the electronic Student Academic Appeals Form. The grievance normally should originate no more than 30 calendar days following a resolution decision by the dean or designee (refer to Step 2) concerning the complaint or conduct that gave rise to the grievance. The chief academic officer initially reviews the case to determine appropriate action, which can include referring the matter to an appropriate university office for review. If the conflict is resolved at this stage, no further action is necessary.   

Step 4. Hearing Committee   

If the conflict cannot be resolved at the initial review stage, the chief academic officer appoints a hearing committee to review the allegations. A written decision from the committee will be delivered in as timely a manner as possible, while allowing for appropriate investigation and consideration, not to exceed 60 calendar days from the date the complaint is filed with the chief academic officer, unless the committee notifies the parties of the need for an extension to properly complete the process. The written records are confidential but available for on-site review by the person(s) directly involved.   

In all cases, the decision of the chief academic officer is final and not subject to appeal.