Student Grievance Procedures

a. A graduate student has the right to seek redress of any grievance related to his or her academic issues that are relevant to the student's progress towards a graduate degree.

b. Every effort should be made to resolve grievances informally between the student and the faculty member most directly involved or, such efforts failing, by the graduate adviser, the chair of the graduate studies committee of the student's degree program, the unit administrator. When serious issues cannot be resolved informally, the graduate student will have recourse to the formal grievance procedure as outlined below in Subsections 2-3. It should be noted that the precise procedure to be followed in adjudicating a given grievance will depend on the particular circumstances of the case.

i. Grade disputes are handled according to departmental review policies by the department offering the course in question. The order of review for grade disputes is the course instructor, graduate adviser, unit administrator, and dean of the college or school offering the course. The decision of the college or school dean is final.

ii. Non-academic grievances submitted to the Graduate School will be referred by the dean of the Graduate School to the appropriate University administrative office, normally the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Human Resources, or the college/school dean in which the incident being grieved occurred. Only in cases of multiple points of grievance will the complaint be reviewed by more than one administrative unit of the University.

iii. Grievances related to nonacademic issues and scholastic dishonesty are handled according to the procedures outlined in the General Information Catalog.

c. A graduate student may submit a formal grievance through the procedures referenced in sections d and e below with the assurance of timely and thorough consideration. A graduate student will not be retaliated against for filing a formal grievance. A graduate student who believes he or she has been retaliated against should immediately report his or her concern to an associate or assistant dean of Graduate School. Allegations of retaliation will be referred to the appropriate office for review.

d. All grievances must be submitted in writing to the Graduate School, which will notify the chair of the graduate studies committee, unit administrator, and the dean of the college or school that a grievance has been filed and of the procedures for handling the grievance. The time limits given below may be extended for good cause.

e. A student must submit their grievance within 60 days of the incident that is the subject of the grievance. When there is written notification to the student of the action that is the subject of the grievance, an intent to grieve must be submitted to the Graduate School within 30 days and the grievance must be completely submitted within 60 days from the event that is the subject of the grievance.

a. The first level of consideration is the appropriate graduate studies committee. The graduate studies committee, having received formal notification of the grievance from the Graduate School, shall review the grievance and meet with the grievant if requested. The graduate studies committee shall then vote either to uphold or to reconsider the action that is the subject of the grievance. The chair of the graduate studies committee shall notify the Graduate School of the results of the graduate studies committee review within 30 days of receiving the grievance.

b. The results of the graduate studies committee review will be provided to the grievant. The grievant will have 30 days to notify the Graduate School if they are satisfied with those results or if they wish to proceed to the second level of adjudication as provided below.

a. When the grievance cannot be resolved at the level of the graduate studies committee to the satisfaction of the grievant, the grievance and the decisions of the graduate studies committee will be forwarded to the dean of the Graduate School. The dean of the Graduate School, in consultation with the college or school dean(s), may decide the case on their own review and authority, or if they deem it appropriate, convene a Graduate School ad hoc panel to review the case and provide advice.

b. The dean of the Graduate School will review the facts of the case, including any recommendations received from a Graduate School ad hoc panel if constituted, and render a decision within 45 days of the grievant's request for review by the dean of the Graduate School. A copy of the decision will be sent to the grievant, any ad hoc panel constituted during the review process, the chair of the graduate studies committee, the graduate adviser, the unit administrator, and the college or school dean(s). The decision of the dean of the Graduate School is final.

a.       the faculty member employing the research assistant;

b.       the program graduate adviser (for graduate students);

c.       the department chair or head of the hiring unit employing the research assistant;

d.       the dean of the college or school employing the research assistant.