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.

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 Administration 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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").
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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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