Students who wish to be excused from Graduate School requirements must petition the dean of the Graduate School on a form available from the Graduate School. The forms require the written endorsement of the advisor, instructor (if appropriate), and department chairperson.

Graduate Students or members of the Graduate Faculty may appeal decisions of the dean to the Graduate Committee.

An "academic grievance" is a statement expressing a complaint, resentment, or accusation lodged by a student about an academic circumstance (such as grading, testing, quality of instruction) which is thought by the student to be unfair.

Academic issues subject to grievance procedures differ from those subject to the academic petition process. If a student thinks that a petition has not been handled fairly, the student may initiate a grievance based upon unfair treatment, but not upon the substantive issue of the petition. The grievance process available to graduate students depends on the issue as follows:

1. Grades

An academic grievance involving the work in a course by a graduate student shall be resolved by the process prescribed by the college in which the course is offered. The process must commence with a discussion between the student and the instructor.

2. Other Issues (involving Graduate School policies and procedures)

Resolution of all other grievances by graduate students shall commence by discussion between the student and the party against whom the grievance is lodged. In the absence of resolution by such discussion, the grievance may be advanced by either party beginning at the next level and continuing as necessary through the persons/units/committees in the following sequence:

1. Advisor or Advisory Committee

2. The person assigned administrative responsibility for the graduate program in which the student is a major, i.e., the director of graduate study or, in the absence of such a position, the department chairperson

3. The dean of the Graduate School

4. The Graduate Committee

5. The Student Academic Standards Committee (as described in the Code of Student Life)

Grievances must be submitted in writing when advanced beyond the first discussion. Similarly, responses to such advanced grievances must be in writing. Responses by the parties described in items 2 and 3 shall be within 10 class days of their receipt; response by the Graduate Committee shall be within a reasonable period of time consistent with its meeting schedule.