Minor in Law Grade Review and Appeal Process

  1. Posting of grades. Faculty will post student grades to Academica within 72 hours of the final exam or equivalent final graded project due date, consistent with University requirements.
     
  2. Procedures and restrictions on instructor grade changes. An instructor may not change a final grade except for technical errors (e.g., computational errors or errors in transposing a grade). An instructor who submits a grade change to the Law School Records Office must also submit in writing the reason for such a change, which shall be retained by the Law School Records Office as part of the student's grade records.
     
  3. Informal grade review with instructor. A student may ask an instructor for informal review of any grade assigned to that student by that instructor.
     
  4. Appeal to Dean or Dean's designee
     
    1. Requirements for appeal. A student may appeal a grade to the Dean or the Dean's designee if and only if the dispute cannot be resolved through informal review by the instructor with the student, and the dispute involves an allegation that the grade was based on one or more of the following: 
      1. improper discriminatory criteria, including without limitation the following: race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual harassment or discrimination, marital status, familial status, age, height, weight, veteran status, or disability; or
      2. other invidious or arbitrary criteria
    2. Procedure for grade appeal. Any grade appeal must be submitted in writing to the Dean's Office within 30 days following the posting of the grade to Academica. The Dean or the Dean's designee will review the complaint and invite the instructor to reply in writing to the objections of the student. If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the student's complaint is valid, the Dean or the Dean's designee will afford the parties the opportunity for a hearing. Within 60 days following receipt of the appeal, the Dean or the Dean's designee will render a final written decision that will, if the grade is changed, be retained by the Law School Records Office as part of the student's grade records.

Approved by the faculty May, 4, 2021