Voicing Concerns
In the course of their education or employment, individuals may have complaints or concerns about University of
Washington School of Law personnel, policies, or procedures. Resources that provide opportunities to express
concerns and for the Law School to respond and improve.
Student Complaints Related to ABA Compliance
As an ABA-accredited law school, the School of Law is subject to the ABA Standards
for Approval of Law Schools. Under ABA Standard 510, any student at the School of Law may bring a
formal complaint to the Law School administration "of a significant problem that directly implicates the school’s
program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards."
Students seeking to file a formal complaint related to the program of legal education and compliance with the ABA
Standards shall do the following:
- Submit the complaint in writing using this form, https://www.law.uw.edu/aba-complaint-form
- Describe in detail the significant problem that is the subject of the complaint and how the problem directly
implicates the school’s program of legal education and compliance with specific ABA Standard(s).
- Provide the name, official Law School email address, and street address of the complaining student, for further
communication about the complaint.
When the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs receives a student complaint, the following procedures will be
followed:
Receipt of the complaint will be promptly acknowledged.
- Within two weeks of acknowledgment of the complaint, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, or their designee,
shall either meet or correspond with the complaining student, providing a written response to the complaint or
informing the student that additional inquiry is needed. If further inquiry is needed, the student will be
provided with an estimated date for the completion of the inquiry by the Law School.
- After the student receives the written response to the complaint, an appeal may be made to the Dean of the Law
School. Any decision made on appeal by the Dean shall be final.
- A copy of the complaint and a summary of the process and resolution of the complaint shall be kept in the Dean's
office for a period of ten years from the date of final resolution of the complaint.
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Complaints Related to Unfair Academic Treatment
Unfair academic treatment includes such matters as deviations from stated grading practices, harassment or
other unfair treatment, and similar issues. It does not include challenges to individual grades for which the
procedure will be, as at present, consultation with the individual faculty member and, if requested, conference
with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Dean.
Unfair academic treatment also does not include charges of discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex,
national origin, age, handicap, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran. The following is the
procedure
to be followed by any student in the School of Law who believes that he or she has been subjected to unfair
academic treatment by a faculty member or administration person.
- The student should attempt to resolve the grievance by informal consultation with the faculty member or
administration person concerned and, if desirable, to enlist the assistance of an Associate or Assistant Dean or
the University Ombudsman.
- If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved by informal consultation, the student may file a written
complaint requesting a hearing with the Student Grievance Committee, which shall consist of the appointed
members of the Committee on Scholastic Standards, Examinations, and Student Affairs (hereinafter, the
"Committee").
- The Chairperson of the Committee shall convoke a hearing of the Committee to be held no later than ten days from
receipt of the written complaint. Notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing shall be given to the
student, the faculty member or administration person concerned, and to the members of the Committee.
- If the student or the faculty member or administration person concerned is a member of the Committee, he or she
shall recuse himself or herself from participation as a Committee member.
- The hearing shall be closed unless the student and the faculty member or administration person concerned both
agree otherwise. The Chairperson, subject to change pursuant to a vote of two-thirds of the members of the
Committee, shall determine the Rules of Procedure governing the hearing. At the hearing the student shall
present his or her grievance to the Committee and, unless the parties thereto agree otherwise, a taped or other
verbatim record shall be taken. The faculty member or administration person concerned shall be given opportunity
to respond to the complaint.
- At the conclusion of the hearing the Committee shall take the matter under advisement and, within ten days of
the hearing date, shall forward its written recommendation to the Dean. A copy of the recommendation shall be
furnished to the student and to the faculty member or administration person concerned.
- Within ten days after receipt of the Committee’s recommendation the Dean shall render a written decision on
action to be taken on the grievance. Copies of the decision shall be furnished to the student and to the faculty
member or administration person concerned.
- The Dean’s decision shall be final unless within ten days of receipt of such decision the student or faculty
member or administration person concerned shall file a written request with the Provost of the University for
consideration of the decision by the Provost.
- If the Provost concludes there have been any procedural irregularities in the proceedings or finds there is any
basis for reconsideration he shall, within ten days of his receipt of the written request, remand the matter to
the Dean for appropriate action. Otherwise, the decision of the Dean shall become final.
Source: Executive Order 58.
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Honor Code
To report an Honor Code violation, a person may either email or schedule a meeting with the Academic Dean or Dean for
Students through the Dean's Office (Room 371). Reporting a potential Honor Code violation is the first step in a
very long process; only if the complaint of a potential violation provides the Academic Dean with reasonable cause
to believe that a violation may have occurred, will there be further investigation and a possible determination of
misconduct with sanctions imposed on a Student. Accordingly, members of the UW Law community should not hesitate to
report what they believe to be a violation, as there are many procedural steps involved with an investigation and
further disciplinary proceedings.
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University Resources for Student Complaints and Concerns
A neutral third party, the University Ombudsman does not
advocate for the University or for either party to a dispute. The objective is to provide a process for achieving a
fair and reasonable settlement. Working within existing policies and procedures, the Ombudsman seeks to address
disagreements in an informal manner. If formal mechanisms are desired, the staff of the Ombudsman's Office can
direct individuals to the appropriate University offices.
Student Life provides non-academic services, support resources
and opportunities for UW students. As a central network for services and support, our main goal is to facilitate and
promote Access, Diversity Engagement and Care directly to students, their families and the community in different
ways and through tailored programs offered by each of our units
The Counseling Center exists to support UW students in all aspects of their
development. We provide personal counseling, career counseling, study skills assistance, and other services to
currently-enrolled UW students. The Counseling Center also provides consultation to faculty, staff, and parents who
have concerns about a student.
DRS provides services to enrolled students who have a
documented permanent or temporary physical, psychological or sensory disability that qualifies them for academic
accommodations under the law. DRS is a resource for information on disabilities, disability laws, and resources
available for people with disabilities on and off the campus. DRS makes referrals as appropriate.
SLS is an on-campus law office that provides confidential legal
advice and representation to UW-Seattle students. SLS focuses on helping students resolve their legal problems with
as little disruption as possible to their educational endeavors. It is against SLS policy to accept cases involving
the University of Washington for ongoing representation, but we will attempt to seek to refer students to other
low-cost or helpful resources.
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