Mechanics That Govern Case Review Workflow Behavior

Review steps are defined in templates and can be customized for individual cases, establishing the structure the case will follow once review begins. After a case is launched, these steps determine who has access, what actions must be completed, and how the case progresses. The following components describe the behaviors that govern how a case operates within the review workflow.

• Committee Document Requirements: Unit Administrators, Case Managers, and Committee Managers can require committees to upload specific documents (such as review summaries or evaluation letters) before the case moves to the next step. These requirements ensure that critical evaluation artifacts are captured consistently throughout the review.
• Committee Form Requirements: Administrators may add required committee forms (such as rubrics or evaluation questionnaires) to a workflow step. All assigned forms must be submitted before the case can advance to the next step. RPT enforces these requirements automatically to maintain consistency in documentation and evaluation.
• Administrator Recusal: When conflicts of interest occur or responsibilities shift across units, Unit Administrators or Case Managers can recuse themselves or others from a case. Recusal allows administrators to temporarily removes access, assign another administrator to oversee the step, and remove that administrator once their responsibility is complete. This feature ensures that the correct individuals have access at each stage of review.
  

  Bulk Access Control

  Administrative access can be managed in bulk through Academic Levels. Assigning academic levels to a workflow step automatically grants access to Unit Administrators and Case Managers whose units match the selected levels, significantly reducing the need for manual recusal. Committee Members and Committee Managers do not receive access through academic levels; they gain access only when they are assigned to a committee at that step.

   
• Committee Membership and Access: Committee Members and Committee Managers only receive access to a case when they are assigned to a committee on the current workflow step. Adding users directly to a case-level committee is temporary and applies only to that case. Permanent committee membership updates must be made from the institution’s standing committees list. Only users with access to the current step—through committee assignment or administrative role—can view the case.
• Communication During Workflow: Communication tools allow Administrators, Case Managers, and Committee Managers to keep candidates and reviewers informed as the case progresses. At any point, users with communication permissions may email the candidate or email committee members to clarify requirements, request additional information, or send updates about the review.
  

  When a case moves forward or backward, RPT prompts the user to send an optional notification to the next committee to maintain clear expectations. This helps reviewers know exactly when they have gained access to the case materials and supports a timely, well‑coordinated review process aligned with institutional expectations.

   
• Workflow Movement Rules: Workflows follow a defined sequence of case review steps. Administrators, Case Managers, and Committee Managers may move a case forward once all requirements for that step (e.g. documents, forms, comments, or votes) have been completed. They may move a case backward when additional review is needed or a previous step requires attention. These movement rules ensure cases move predictably and in compliance with institutional policy.