Introduction
A grade at the School of Law is generally based on a final written
examination. There exist certain policies and practices which are
intended to reinforce student confidence in the fairness of the
examination process and student understanding of the course
material:
- All final examinations are graded anonymously and students are
assigned new anonymous grading numbers for each semester.
- Upon request of the student, a faculty member provides an
individual review of essay answers for any student with a D or an F
grade.
- At the request of class representatives, a faculty member
conducts a general examination review for the class.
Subject Matter
The Faculty of the School of Law recognizes that the
evaluation of academic performance necessarily involves the
exercise of judgment by a faculty member. Accordingly, this
Academic Fairness Procedure is available only to consider a
student’s claim that a faculty member has graded that student in an
unfair manner and on a basis other than evaluation of the student’s
academic performance.
Procedure
- If a student wishes to invoke this Academic Fairness Procedure,
the student must, within thirty days of the date of the mailing of
the grade mailer containing the grade in question, give notice of
the particular complaint to and consult with the
faculty member concerned. Such time limitation may be extended by
the Committee on Grades for good cause shown. - If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the
student within seven days from the date of consultation with the
faculty member, and the student wishes to pursue this Academic
Fairness Procedure, the student must within seven days thereafter
bring the complaint to the attention of the Dean. Upon request of
the faculty member the Dean shall require the student to reduce the
complaint to writing. The Dean shall attempt to resolve the
complaint informally in consultation with the student and the
faculty member.
- If the complaint is not resolved through such informal
consultation within seven days after it has been brought to the
Dean’s attention, and the student wishes to pursue the complaint,
the student may do so in writing to the Chairman of the Committee
on Grades and the faculty member concerned.
- The Committee on Grades shall convene within seven days of such
submission to consider the complaint. The student shall have the
burden of establishing by a fair preponderance of the credible
evidence that the faculty member has graded that student in an
unfair manner and on a basis other than evaluation of the student’s
academic performance.
- The Committee on Grades shall determine the procedures to be
followed. All procedures shall be designed and construed to afford
substantial justice to all parties. All proceedings before the
Committee on Grades shall be private and confidential.
- If the faculty member concerned is a member of the Committee on
Grades, the Dean shall appoint a replacement from the faculty.
- Failure of the student to pursue this Academic Fairness
Procedure, once invoked, will be deemed a withdrawal of the
complaint with prejudice.
- The Committee on Grades is authorized to provide any
appropriate academic remedy, and its determination shall be
final.