Examinations and Grading
- Examination Procedures
- Exam Irregularities
- Examination Changes
- Disabled Student Accommodations and Additional Time for ESL International Students
- Retention and Storage of Exams
- Grading System
- Grade Normalization
- Academic Probation, Dismissal and Readmission Policy
- Bar Passage Program
- Class Attendance and Examinations
- Incompletes
- Repetition of Classes
- Anonymous Grading Policy
- Receipt of Grades
- Class Rank Information
- Finality of Grades and Grade Grievance Policy
Examination Procedures
The Registrar’s Office administers examinations according to the published examination schedule. Students must remain in residence during the period in which they have scheduled exams, and students must arrange their work and personal schedules in order to attend their scheduled exams.
No Early Examinations.
No student can take an examination before the official time scheduled for the examination.
- In-Class Examinations with Hand-Written Responses
The Sturm College of Law provides blue books and scratch paper for in-class examinations. Students must provide their own writing utensils and/or other equipment required for the examination. If the professor has indicated that students can bring various materials to the examination with them, students have the responsibility to ensure that they have these materials with them before the start of the examination. At the end of the examination, students must submit all of the blue books distributed to them as well as answer sheets to the proctor in the examination room. Students may take examinations only in designated rooms.
- In-Class Examinations Taken on Laptop Computers
- Before an In-Class Laptop Examination
After a student downloads the current version of the examination software, the student must perform a practice test. During the practice test, the software checks the computer for security issues. Students have the responsibility to resolve any laptop hardware or software problems before taking exams on a laptop.
Student laptops must have the capacity to access the internet in order to download the examination software and to submit answers at the completion of an exam. Students have the responsibility to ensure that they bring a power cord, a fully charged battery and a network [Ethernet] cable to the examination [i.e., no wireless access due to unstable transmissions], and students must mute computer speakers during the examination period.
Extegrity software can have compatibility problems with new operating systems or older Macintosh software. The Registrar’s Office will notify students of compatibility problems and will make loaner laptops available to affected students. Affected students must email their entire examination schedule to the Registrar’s Office to reserve a loaner laptop. A student who reserves a loaner laptop (1) must report to the Registrar’s Office thirty minutes before the start of each examination to obtain the loaner laptop and (2) must return the laptop and all peripheral equipment immediately after the examination. Under no condition will the Registrar’s Office provide a loaner laptop for use outside the law building. Moreover, the Registrar’s Office does not furnish loaner laptops for take-home or on-line examinations.
- During an In-Class Laptop Examination
Students who take an in-class exam on a laptop have the same amount of space and/or pages as students who write the exam. However, individual professors may issue their own policies with respect to space and page limitations.
During the laptop examination, every few minutes the software automatically saves to the laptop’s hard drive. The Registrar staff can assist with recovery of the encrypted examination answers in the event of computer failure. If a student’s laptop fails during an examination, the student must immediately notify the proctor and proceed to the Registrar’s Office with his/her laptop and examination materials. If possible, the Registrar’s Office will print the answers the student already has typed and provide the student with a loaner laptop. The Registrar’s Office will then place the student in a “triage” classroom for the remainder of the examination.
At the end of the exam, students must submit exam answers electronically. A student should not ask the Registrar’s Office to confirm the receipt of his/her exam unless the student receives an error message. If the laptop does not connect to the network during submission, an error message will appear. If a student receives an error message, the student immediately must notify the proctor and bring the laptop to the Registrar’s Office where the staff will retrieve the exam via a USB drive.
- After the In-Class Laptop Examination
Students MUST return exam questions to the proctor. The Registrar will print laptop answers within 2 business days. If the Registrar encounters any difficulty printing an examination answer, the Registrar will notify the student and retrieve a back-up copy of such answers from the encrypted copy on the student’s computer.
- Take-Home Exams
Some professors use take-home examinations. The requirements for take-home examinations vary and depend upon the specific instructions of the particular professor which the professor provides to students and to the Registrar prior to the examination.
Under no circumstances should professors schedule any portion of a take-home examination during the examination reading period.
Professors maintain the exclusive responsibility to distribute take-home examinations. Students cannot FAX answers to take-home examinations to the Registrar, and under no circumstances will the Registrar’s Office accept take-home examination answers submitted by FAX. Professors may require students to submit take-home examination answers to the Registrar by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If professors require an email submission of examination answers to the Registrar, students have the responsibility to assure that they comply with this requirement. The Registrar has no responsibility to assure that any particular student has properly submitted a take-home examination answer.
Each student also must submit all copies of his/her take-home examination itself to the Registrar’s Office. Failure to submit all copies of the examination may result in a delayed grade or in failure of the course.
Students should retain copies of their examination answers to protect against an electronic submission failure.
- Online Exams
On-line examinations have procedural complexities and can pose certain problems. Please see Appendix B for the policies, procedures and cautions that relate to on-line examinations.
Exam Irregularities
If a student encounters any irregularity or extenuating circumstance during an examination that interferes with the examination process, the student must immediately report the circumstances to the Registrar’s Office. Such circumstances include, without limitation, an illness or a disruptive incident in the examination room. If a student fails to immediately bring such circumstances to the attention of the Registrar’s Office, the student cannot later appeal the examination result based on the unreported circumstances.
Examination Changes
All students must take their examinations at the officially designated place, date and time. Students also must arrange their work and personal schedules so that they can attend their scheduled examinations. Students must plan to remain in residence during the entire period in which they have scheduled examinations.
No student may take an examination before the examination’s officially scheduled date and/or time. A student, however, may request permission to take an examination out-of-sequence for the following reasons:
- The student has two (2) in-class examinations scheduled on the same calendar day, or
- The student has one (1) in-class examination and one (1) 24-hour take home examination scheduled on the same calendar day, or
- The student has two (2) 24-hour take home examinations scheduled on the same calendar day, or
- The student has three (3) in-class examinations scheduled on three (3) consecutive calendar days, or
- The student has two (2) in-class examinations and one (1) 24-hour take home examination scheduled on three consecutive calendar days, or
- The student has one (1) in-class examination and two (2) 24-hour take home examinations scheduled on three consecutive calendar days.
- The student has serious medical reasons verified in writing by appropriate medical personnel, or
- The student has a personal emergency supported by documentation.
Examinations Rescheduled for Reasons One (1) through Six (6) Above:
Students who seek to change an examination time for reasons one (1) through six (6) above must seek permission from the Registrar. Students must complete examinations rescheduled for reasons one (1) through six (6) during the scheduled examination period.
If a student requests an out-of-sequence examination based on an in-class and take-home exam sequence, the Registrar’s Office shall reschedule the take-home examination rather than the in-class examination.
Examinations Rescheduled for Reasons Seven (7) and Eight (8) Above:
Students who seek to change an examination time for reason seven (7) or eight (8) above must seek permission from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Personal emergencies do not include work-related responsibilities, but rather contemplate such events as a death in the family, or emergency medical situations that involve the student or family dependents. A student who seeks a rescheduled examination for reasons seven (7) and eight (8) must file an Out of Sequence Exam Request with the Associate Dean as soon as the medical situation arises or as soon as the student discovers the personal emergency. Students can find such forms here. Students who receive permission to reschedule an examination for reasons seven (7) and eight (8) must complete the examination as soon as possible and preferably within the normal examination period for the particular semester. In no event may a student reschedule an examination after the beginning of the next semester. A general petition must be filed with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for any reason other than those listed above.
Disabled Student Accommodations and Additional Time for ESL International Students
A student with documented disabilities who requests examination accommodations should meet with the Manager of Student Affairs at the beginning of the academic year, or upon discovery of the disability, to discuss needed accommodations. University Disability Services (UDS) reviews and approves all documentation and accommodations. Students can find the UDS handbook and forms at http://www.du.edu/disability/. A student must implement and finalize accommodations by completion and submission of an Exam Accommodations Form to the Student Affairs Office one month before the last month of scheduled classes for the particular semester. Students can find the form online here. The Student Affairs Office then submits this form to the Registrar’s Office. A student must complete and submit this form to the Student Affairs Office during each semester in which the student requests an accommodation.
Students for whom English is a recently learned second language may also receive additional time with proper documentation. Students should request additional time for their midterm and final examinations via the Additional Time for ESL International Students form here on the Registrar’s website. Students should note that the Registrar’s Office does not provide dictionaries in their native language but the check box on the form is to request the use of an English language dictionary.
Students receiving additional time for ADA or ESL accommodations will be notified via DU Law e-mail the time and date they should report to the Registrar’s Office for each midterm or final examination. Unless students have specific ADA accommodations for a separate room, study rooms are considered limited distraction environments even if other students are in the room. There are no clocks in the study rooms and the Registrar’s Office does not provide a timing device. Students must bring their own timing device such as a watch or clock. Students will not be permitted to use cell phones to time themselves.
Retention and Storage of Exams
The Registrar’s Office will retain all materials upon which the professor bases a student’s grade for at least one year following the completion of the course. Faculty members have the option to retain these materials for one year, as well. If the Registrar’s Office does not have the materials on file, a student will be advised to contact the staff assistant for the faculty member that taught the course.
Grading System
The Sturm College of Law employs a letter grade system of A-F. The grades issued in all required courses must have a median of 3.0 and a mean between 2.85 and 3.15. The grades issued in all non-required courses with an enrollment of more than ten students must substantially conform to this mandatory curve. Substantial conformity means that grades cannot deviate more than 0.1 from the mandatory median and mean. If the grades issued in a course of more than 10 students substantially deviate from the mandatory curve the professor must provide the Associate Dean with adequate justification for the deviation. The Associate Dean shall make the final determination of whether an adequate justification exists for the substantial deviation. If the Associate Dean determines that adequate justification does not exist, the professor, the Associate Dean, or the Registrar shall reconfigure the grades.
The law school uses letter grades to calculate grade point averages in a four-point numerical system. Letter grades have the following numerical values:
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
A limited number of courses (including internships and journal work) receive pass/fail grades. Pass/fail grades do not factor into the student’s cumulative law school grade point average. When the student receives a passing grade, P, the student has performed at a standard consistent with a grade of C or better. A failing grade, F, indicates unacceptable performance, and will not count toward the graduation credit hour requirement.
Grade Normalization
The normalized grade range for required classes will be a median of 3.0 and a mean between 2.85 and 3.15. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will conduct normalization procedures after notification to the professor involved that the median and mean fall outside of the required range. The professor shall have two working days from the date of notification by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to make adjustments and to resubmit final grades.
If no agreement can be reached in which the median is 3.0 and the mean falls between 2.85 and 3.15 , then normalization will occur in the following manner:
- The Associate Dean will add the same number of points to, or or subtract the same number of points from, each submitted grade to ensure that the median reaches 3.0 and the mean falls between 2.85 and 3.15;
- No student who originally received a passing grade will receive a failing grade after normalization;
- If, statistically and technically, the median cannot reach 3.0 and the mean cannot fall between 2.85 to 3.15 , the Examination and Standing Committee will take immediate jurisdiction over the matter and submit a final non-appealable decision after an expedited review.
- For classes with ten or fewer students the faculty policy strongly encourages that all grades fall within the established median of 3.0 and the mandatory mean of 2.85 to 3.15.
Academic Probation, Dismissal and Readmission Policy
- Academic Probation and Dismissal Policies for Students Who Entered the Sturm College of Law in the Fall of 2007 and All Subsequent Semesters
- Graduation
A student must achieve at least a 2.3 cumulative grade point average to graduate from the Sturm College of Law. The Sturm College of Law will not graduate, and will dismiss, students who have satisfied the course requirements for graduation but have not maintained the required minimum 2.3 cumulative grade point average. - Academic Probation
All students who enter the Sturm College of Law in the FAll 2007, or any subsequent, semester must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.3 to remain in good standing. The Sturm College of Law will place on probation any student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.3 in any semester. - Dismissal
All students who enter the Sturm College of Law in the Fall 2007, or any subsequent, semester must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, including the first semester of their first year. The Sturm College of Law will dismiss any student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 at the end of any semester, including the first semester of law school. Ordinarily the SCOL will not readmit dismissed students.
Students on probation can continue in law school provided they make satisfactory progress toward good standing as described below in paragraph 5. Any student readmitted to law school after dismissal remains on academic probation pursuant to the academic probation rules above.- Conditions of Academic Probation
The following restrictions apply to all students on academic probation:- The student may not participate as an elected officer or devote substantial work to any student activity or faculty committee without the written approval of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
- The student must register for and complete a normal academic credit load each subsequent semester while on probation, which requires 12 credit hours per semester for full-time day students and 8 credit hours per semester for part-time evening students.
- The student may not enroll in seminars, directed research projects, clinics, internships, courses offered outside the Sturm College of Law curriculum, or courses graded by a different method than the usual letter grade system. Simulation courses and clinics consist of educational experiences in which students perform lawyering skills and faculty base all or part of the grade on observation and assessment of student skill performances.
- To maintain eligibility to continue in law school while on probation, the student must actively participate in the Academic Achievement Program. Any student with a GPA of 2.6 or lower at the end of the first two semesters of law school must take a three hour course that stresses legal analysis in the first subsequent semester. Successful completion of this course is a requirement of graduation. The student also must meet with, and secure approval from, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs with respect to the student’s proposed academic schedule each semester.
- A student placed on probation during any semester has two subsequent consecutive semesters in which to achieve a good standing GPA of 2.3. During the first of these two semesters, however, a student on probation must make satisfactory progress toward good standing: the student must raise his or her cumulative GPA by one-half the difference between the student’s cumulative GPA and a 2.3 cumulative GPA.
During the second of these two consecutive semesters, the student who remains on probation must raise his or her cumulative GPA to 2.3 or above. Failure of the probationary student to secure the required progress in either of the two consecutive semesters described above results in dismissal from law school. Summer terms are not considered “semesters” for purposes of satisfactory progress toward good standing. As a consequence the SCOL does not include summer grades in a student’s cumulative GPA until the end of the subsequent Fall semester.
- Conditions of Academic Probation
- Graduation
- Academic Probation and Dismissal Policies for Students Who Entered the Sturm College of Law Before the Fall of 2007
- Graduation
A student must achieve at least a 2.2 cumulative grade point average to graduate from the Sturm College of Law. The Sturm College of Law will not graduate, and will dismiss, a student who has satisfied the course requirements for graduation but has not maintained the required minimum 2.2 cumulative grade point average. - Academic Probation
The Sturm College of Law will place on academic probation any first year student whose grade point average falls below a 2.0 after the first semester of law school. The Sturm College of Law will place on academic probation any student who has completed at least two semesters of law school and whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.2. - Dismissal
The Sturm College of Law will dismiss any probationary student who fails to make “satisfactory progress” toward good standing or any student who has completed the course requirements for graduation but has not maintained the required minimum 2.2 cumulative grade point average. Ordinarily the Sturm College of Law will not readmit dismissed students.
Students on probation can continue in law school provided they make satisfactory progress toward good standing as described below. Any student readmitted to law school after dismissal remains on academic probation pursuant to the academic probation rules above.- Conditions of Academic Probation
The following restrictions apply to all students on academic probation:- The student may not participate as an elected officer or devote substantial work to any student activity or faculty committee without the written approval of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
- The student must register for and complete a normal academic credit load each subsequent semester while on probation, which requires 12 credit hours per semester for full-time day students and 8 credit hours per semester for part-time evening students.
- The student may not enroll in seminars, directed research projects, clinics, externships, courses offered outside the Sturm College of Law curriculum, or courses graded by a different method than the usual letter grade system. Simulation courses and clinics consist of educational experiences in which students perform lawyering skills and faculty base all or part of the grade on observation and assessment of student skill performances.
- To maintain eligibility to continue in law school while on probation, the student actively must participate in the Academic Achievement Program. The student also must meet with, and secure approval from, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs with respect to the student’s proposed academic schedule each semester.
- A student placed on probation during any semester has two subsequent consecutive semesters in which to achieve a good standing GPA of 2.2. During the first of these two semesters, however, a student on probation must make satisfactory progress toward good standing: the student must raise his or her cumulative GPA by one-half the difference between the student’s cumulative GPA and a 2.2 cumulative GPA.
During the second of these two consecutive semesters, the student who remains on probation must raise his or her cumulative GPA to 2.2 or above. Failure of the probationary student to secure the required progress in either of the two consecutive semesters described above results in dismissal from law school. Summer terms are not considered “semesters” for purposes of satisfactory progress toward good standing. As a consequence the SCOL does not include summer grades in a student’s cumulative GPA until the end of the subsequent Fall semester.
- Conditions of Academic Probation
- Graduation
Please consult Appendix D for details with respect to Academic Probation, Dismissal, and Readmission Policies.
Bar Passage Program
The SCOL has implemented a Bar Passage Program to help students improve academic performance and achieve success on the bar exam. As identified below, the particular requirements are based on academic performance at three markers: (1) cumulative grades at the completion of the first semester of law school; (2) cumulative grades at the completion of the first two semesters of law school; and, (3) cumulative grades at the completion of the fourth semester of law school.
- Bar Passage Requirements Based on GPA at Completion of First Semester
- Any student with a GPA of 2.6 or below at the end of the first (1) semester of law school must meet with the Director of the Academic Achievement Program (or the dean’s designee) in the spring semester of the first year of law school. At this meeting the student and the Director of the Academic Achievement Program (or the dean’s designee) will perform a diagnostic review to determine reasons for the student’s GPA and develop an individualized program designed to address issues identified.
- Bar Passage Requirements Based on GPA at Completion of First Two Semesters
- Any student with a GPA of 2.6 or lower at the end of the first two (2) semesters of law school must take Intermediate Legal Analysis (2L legal analysis course) in the first subsequent semester. Successful completion of this course is a requirement for graduation.
- Furthermore, any student with a GPA of 2.6 or lower at the end of the first two (2) semesters of law school must take, in addition to normal course requirements, at least one (1) course out of each of following list of four (4) bar exam subject matter areas prior to graduation. These course requirements – comprising four (4) additional required courses – remain in place regardless of academic performance in subsequent semesters.
- The subject matter areas identified below are selected to provide bar passage students with familiarity in several areas of the law that are often tested on the Uniform Bar Exam. The Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee) may waive course requirements based on exceptional circumstances. The following list identifies the four (4) subject areas and particular courses available to satisfy graduation requirements based on academic performance after the first two law school semesters:
- Commercial Law Survey (preferred) or Secured Transactions or Commercial Paper
- Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights or Criminal Procedure or Conflict of Laws
- Corporations or Agency, Partnership & LLC
- Family Law or Trusts & Estates
- Bar Passage Requirements Based on GPA at Completion of First Four Semesters
- Any student with a GPA of 2.6 or below at the end of four (4) semesters of law school must meet with the Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee). At this meeting the student and the Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee) will perform a diagnostic review to determine reasons for the student’s GPA and develop an individualized program designed to address issues identified.
Furthermore, any student with a GPA of 2.6 or below at the end of the first four (4) semesters of law school must take Legal Analysis Strategies (3L/4L bar preparation course) in the final semester prior to graduation. - In addition, any student with a GPA of 2.6 or lower at the end of the first four (4) semesters of law school must take, in addition to normal course requirements, at least one (1) course out of each of the following list of four (4) bar exam subject areas prior to graduation, which are often tested on the Uniform Bar Exam. These course requirements – comprising an additional four (4) required courses – remain in place regardless of academic performance in subsequent semesters. If a student has previously taken any of the courses listed below for a particular subject matter area, then the student has satisfied the requirement for that bar exam subject matter area.
- The subject matter areas identified below are selected to provide bar passage students with familiarity in several areas of the law that are often tested on the Uniform Bar Exam. The Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee) may waive course requirements based on exceptional circumstances. The following list identifies the subject areas and particular courses available to satisfy graduation requirements based on academic performance after the first four law school semesters:
- Commercial Law Survey (preferred) or Secured Transactions or Commercial Paper
- Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights or Criminal Procedure or Conflict of Laws
- Corporations or Agency, Partnership & LLC
- Family Law or Trusts & Estates
- Any student with a GPA of 2.6 or below at the end of four (4) semesters of law school must meet with the Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee). At this meeting the student and the Director of the Bar Passage Program (or the dean’s designee) will perform a diagnostic review to determine reasons for the student’s GPA and develop an individualized program designed to address issues identified.
Class Attendance and Examinations
Adequate student learning requires consistent class attendance. The SCOL requires all professors and adjunct professors to set a firm attendance policy. Each faculty member must make their attendance policy known to their students at or before the first day of class. A professor may refuse to allow a student to take a final examination or submit a final paper if that student has failed to attend 20% or more of the total class meetings for the semester. If the professor imposes this rule and does not allow the student to take a final exam or submit a final paper, the student receives a grade of F in the course.
back to top »
Incompletes
The Sturm College of Law does not recognize a grade designation of “Incomplete.” A student who drops a course without official permission, fails to take an examination, or fails to timely complete the required course work, receives a grade of “F” for that class.
Repetition of Failed Classes
A student must repeat any required course in which the student obtained a grade of “F.” Students may elect to repeat any non-required course in which they received a grade of “F.” Whenever a student repeats a course, the Registrar must record both grades on the student’s transcript and will use both grades to compute a student’s grade point average. A readmitted student who repeats the entire first year represents an exception to this policy. [See Appendix D on Readmission] A student may not repeat any course in which the student has received a passing grade.
Anonymous Grading Policy
The Sturm College of Law employs an anonymous grading system. The SCOL requires anonymous grading whenever the grade for the entire course, seminar, or exercise rests on a written examination. However, in other situations, such as faculty supervised student research, writing seminars, classroom participation credit, writing exercises, skills training, and performance courses, professors have no obligation to anonymously evaluate a student.
Whenever a professor anonymously grades any part of the course, the professor must maintain anonymity with respect to that part of the grade until the Registrar records final grades. Students who seek to discuss their performance on an examination should not contact the professor until the Registrar records the professor’s final grades.
The Registrar shall issue a final examination number to each student each semester. A student must use that number for all final examinations. The Registrar’s Office also will issue a different examination number for all scheduled mid-term examinations. The Registrar keeps all examination numbers confidential. Students have the responsibility to keep their examination numbers confidential and know their numbers at all examinations.
Receipt of Grades
The Registrar’s Office cannot release information with respect to grades. The Registrar will post grades to MyWeb as soon as possible after their receipt.
Class Rank Information
The Registrar’s Office releases class rank to students at the end of the summer after each academic year. Please note that honorary society, The Order of St. Ives, recognizes students in the top 10% of their class for outstanding scholastic achievement, but The Order of St. Ives does not constitute an official class ranking.
Finality of Grades and Grade Grievance Policy
- Grade Appeals to Professor
Once a faculty member submits a final grade to the Registrar, the professor cannot change that grade unless the professor determines:- The professor has made a mistake that does not involve an issue of judgment, such as a mathematical mistake or a mistake in the conversion of a numerical score to letter grade; or
- The professor has made an incorrect evaluation of a student’s work, provided that:
- the professor did not know the identity of the student during the reevaluation process, and
- the professor informs all students in the course about the opportunity for reevaluation.
If a student wishes a full-time professor to review his/her examination to confirm the numerical accuracy of a grade, the student must maintain anonymity with the professor and make such a request through the Office of the Registrar or through the staff assistant assigned to the professor. The student must make this request within three months after the Registrar posts the final grade.
If a student wishes an adjunct professor to review his/her examination to confirm the numerical accuracy of a grade, the student must maintain anonymity and file a Grade Review Request Form with the Office of the Registrar. Students can find the form here or in the Registrar’s Office. The student must make this request within three months after the Registrar posts the final grade.
If a student wishes a full-time professor to review his/her examination to confirm the accuracy of the professor’s evaluation of the student’s examination answers, the student must maintain anonymity and the professor must first inform all students in the course about the opportunity for reevaluation. The student can submit a written petition that requests a substantive reevaluation to the staff assistant assigned to the professor or to the Office of the Registrar. The petition must include the student’s examination number and must NOT include the student’s name. The student must make this request within three months after the Registrar posts the final grade.
If a student wishes an adjunct professor to review his/her examination to confirm the accuracy of the adjunct professor’s evaluation of the student’s examination answers, the student must maintain anonymity and the adjunct professor must first inform all students in the course about the opportunity for reevaluation. The student anonymously must submit a Grade Review Request Form to the Office of the Registrar. Students can find the form here or in the Registrar’s office. The student must make this request within three months after the Registrar posts the final grade.
- Grade Appeals to the Examinations and Standing Committee
Once a professor has entered a final grade or after the completion of a grade appeal to the professor, a student may file a grade appeal with the Examinations and Standing Committee whenever a student believes that the professor has unfairly assigned a grade. The student initiates this process by filing a petition with the Examinations and Standing Committee by hand delivery to the Registrar’s Office.- Statute of Limitations for Grade Appeals to the Examinations and Standing Committee
The student must file such a petition within three months after the Registrar has posted the final grade. The Committee shall consider a mailed petition as filed on the date of the postmark. The Committee shall consider a hand-delivered petition as filed upon the date of receipt. If “for good cause” a student cannot comply with the three month statute of limitations, the student must submit a written request to the Committee before the expiration of the three month period. The request must contain the good cause reasons why the student cannot comply with the three month statute of limitations and a request for a time extension. The Committee may extend the statute of limitations for good cause shown. - Form of the Petition to the Examinations and Standing Committee
A student shall address the petition to the Chair of the Examinations and Standing Committee, and the petition shall state:- The student’s name and the student’s examination number
- The name of the course in which the student received the appealed grade
- The year, semester, and division of the course in which the student received the appealed grade
- The name of the professor who taught the course
- The date on which the Registrar posted the appealed grade
- A short and concise explanation why the student believes the requirements articulated provide a basis for relief and, at the student’s option, a statement of the specific relief requested.
- The Criteria Required to State a Claim to the Examinations and Standing Committee
A petition states a claim if it asserts the following:
Either- The petitioner consulted with the professor and requested relief and the professor declined to grant relief which was acceptable to the student, or
- The petitioner attempted to consult with the professor and the professor refused to meet with the student, or was not conveniently available within a period of two months after the Registrar posted the final grade,
- And, that the student received an unfair, or substantially inappropriate, grade for one or more of the following reasons:
- The professor made a numerical error in the calculation of the grade; or
- The grade received resulted from the bias or prejudice of the professor against the student. If the student received the grade in a course graded, anonymously, in whole or in part, and the claim of bias or prejudice relates to the anonymously graded portion of the class, the student also must allege a breach of anonymity in the anonymously graded portion of the class; or
- The conditions or circumstances under which the student took the examination effectively prevented the student from communication of his/her answers. Such conditions or circumstances may include, without limitation, unreasonable noise in or around the classroom, problematic temperature or lighting conditions, or the occurrence of an illness during the exam which the student immediately reported to the Registrar; or
- The student clearly and unequivocally establishes that the grade bears no reasonable relationship to accepted and reasonable grading standards; or
- The student clearly and unequivocally establishes that the work graded bears no reasonable relationship to the material covered or assigned in the course.
The Committee shall not apply the above standards in a manner that substitutes the Committee’s judgment for the good faith professional judgment of the professor.
- Examinations and Standing Committee Review of the Petition
- Review Period
The Committee shall make every reasonable effort to review and issue a written response within three months after the student files the petition. If, for any reason, the Committee cannot make a timely recommendation to a timely filed petition, the Committee shall send a letter to the petitioner within three months from the filing of the petition that sets forth the reasons why the Committee has taken no action. If the Committee does not submit a timely response or a timely letter that explains the delay, within six months after the student timely files the petition, the student may assume that the Committee has denied the petition. At such time and under such circumstances, the student may appeal directly to the Dean of the SCOL. - Initial Action by the Examinations and Standing Committee
In response to a petition, the Committee may do one or more of the following:- Decide, after due deliberation, that the petition fails to state a claim, in which case the Committee shall send their written decision and any dissent to the student and to the Professor. The student may appeal such a decision to the Dean of Sturm College of Law.
- Decide, upon approval from the student and the professor, to mediate the differences between the student and the professor.
- Decide by majority vote, after due deliberation, that the facts stated in the petition if true, state a claim the criteria noted above. In such case the Committee shall notify, in writing, the professor whose grade the student has challenged and shall invite the professor to submit a written response to the petition within a reasonable period of time set by the Committee. If the professor submits a written response, the Committee shall include that response in the record. The Committee cannot require the professor to submit a response. The Committee then shall make a decision based on the available evidence.
After the Committee receives the professor’s response or the professor’s time for response has expired, the Committee may request the petitioner or any other person to provide any documents or information that the Committee considers useful to determine the merits of the petition. The Committee cannot require the student or any other person to produce the requested documents or information. Ordinarily the Committee shall make a decision based upon written submissions. In an unusual case the Committee may decide that special circumstances require a hearing. If the Committee schedules such a hearing, both the professor and the student shall have the right to attend and present oral testimony. The Committee cannot require any person to attend an oral hearing.
The parties may offer whatever evidence they consider relevant and may produce evidence that the Committee deems necessary to assist in a decision. The Committee shall judge the relevance and materiality of all evidence and the Committee need not conform to the Colorado or federal rules. The Committee may reasonably limit the time for oral presentations.
- Final Action by the Examinations and Standing Committee
If the Committee finds that no action is appropriate, the Committee shall notify the student and the professor, and the student may appeal to the Dean of Sturm College of Law.
If the Committee makes any recommendation, the Committee first shall inform the professor in a written communication that states the recommendations and the reasons for them. If the professor declines to accept the Committee’s recommendations within three days, the Committee shall send the recommendations to the student and refer the matter to the Dean of Sturm College of Law. The student may appeal any recommendation to the Dean. The student or the professor must appeal any decision or recommendation of the Committee to the Dean within ten days after the student receives written notice of the Committee’s decision or recommendation.
The student or the professor, or both, may appeal to the Dean any matter related to the petition. The Dean shall then determine what action, if any, the Sturm College of Law should take and and implement that action. The student or professor may appeal the Dean’s decision only in accordance with University Procedures.
The Chair of the Committee shall retain custody of all final recommendations, including dissents, and the record of the case, and the Committee shall consider such final recommendations as precedent for future cases. Students and faculty may request a copy of any decision rendered by the Committee, but the Committee first shall delete the names of all parties. When the number of the written decisions makes it unreasonably difficult for the Committee to locate a particular decision, the Chair of the Committee shall devise an index system.
- Review Period
- Statute of Limitations for Grade Appeals to the Examinations and Standing Committee
Subcommittees
The Committee may delegate to a subcommittee of at least three members all duties and responsibilities under these rules. In such cases, the decision of the subcommittee shall be the decision of the Committee.
Liberal Construction
The Committee and the Dean shall liberally construe these rules to serve the just, speedy, and fair resolution of every petition.