A graduate student must institute a formal grievance within 45 days of the time the student knows, or by reasonable diligence should have known of the matter prompting the grievance.
The running of time under this policy shall be suspended during examination and vacation periods, including the period between the end of spring term and the beginning of fall term if the student is not enrolled in summer session.
Graduate students are encouraged to notify the Division of Graduate Studies when initiating a grievance.
Summary of the Formal Graduate Student Academic Grievance Process
Step 1
The graduate student shall file a written grievance with the department head, department grievance committee, the college/ school grievance committee, or the dean of the relevant college, whichever is applicable.
The decision rendered at step one shall be in writing and shall be provided to the aggrieved and all other named parties to the grievance within 30 days of the receipt of the formal grievance.
Step 2
If the aggrieved graduate student is dissatisfied with the decision at step one, the aggrieved shall file a written appeal of that decision to the dean of the school/college, or if the dean made the decision at step one, to the vice provost for graduate studies, within 14 days of receipt of the decision made at step one.
The decision rendered by the dean to whom the appeal was addressed shall be in writing and shall be provided to the aggrieved and all other named parties to the grievance within 30 days of the receipt of the formal grievance.
Step 3
If the graduate student aggrieved is dissatisfied with the decision at step two, the aggrieved shall file a written appeal of that decision to the vice provost for graduate studies within 14 days of receipt of the decision at step two, but if the dean of the Division made the decision at step two, the aggrieved may proceed to step four.
The vice provost for graduate studies shall render a decision, in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the appeal, and provide copies of the decision to all the parties named in the grievance.
Step 4
If either party is dissatisfied with the vice provost for graduate studies' decision, an appeal may be made to the provost by filing a written appeal within 14 days of receiving the decision at step three.
The provost may decide the grievance on the record already developed or may investigate further, or designate another to investigate.
The provost shall provide a copy of the decision at this level to all the parties named in the grievance within 45 days of receiving the appeal. The provost's decision shall be final.