A student who obtains a GPA below 1.8 in his/her first semester will be automatically dismissed from law school. Such student may apply for readmission in the summer of that academic year as under then existing standards and procedures for readmission, and may apply for admission, as a new student to the law school beginning no earlier than the following fall semester. Only under extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control will the Student Affairs Committee consider a student’s petition prior to that summer. If extraordinary circumstances exist, at least one faculty member of the committee and its chair must grant permission for early consideration.

A student will be placed on academic probation if his/her cumulative GOA falls below 2.0. Any student on probation will have one semester to raise the cumulative grade-point average to the required level (2.0) or be dismissed for academic deficiency. A student on academic probation may not work or engage in significant law school extracurricular activities.

Students readmitted to the School after dismissal on the grounds of academic deficiency will have one semester to raise the academic average to the required level, unless the faculty decides that a longer period is warranted.

If a probationary student successfully raises his or her average to the required level at the end of the probationary period and subsequently falls below 2.0 again, the student will be dismissed and a second probationary period will be granted only after a petition and favorable faculty action.

 

I.          Readmissions Committee 

 

The Faculty Readmissions Committee considers all petitions for readmission in the first instance.  Petitioners are afforded the opportunity for a personal interview with the Readmissions Committee.

 

II.        Criteria for Petitions for Readmission

 

A.         No petition for readmission will be granted unless the petitioner establishes to the satisfaction of the Readmissions Committee in the first instance or the faculty upon appeal under III(B)(2)-(3) that:

 

(1)        there is a substantial likelihood that the student will be able to make up his or her grade deficiency within an appropriate time and manner in accordance with a plan approved by the Readmissions Committee or the faculty, and

 

(2)        the grade deficiency is substantially attributable to circumstances or events which do not reflect on the student's abilities to perform in law school and which do not reflect the absence of qualities which bear on the ability of a person to successfully deliver legal services.

 

Circumstances that may meet this test are:

 

(a)        serious personal illness or other medical problems, or

 

(b)        the occurrence of an event or series of events causing severe emotional stress (e.g., death of a family member, divorce or separation from a longstanding partner, assault), or

 

(c)        documented disability that can be, but has not previously been, reasonably accommodated, or

 

(d)        any other serious problem significantly affecting law school performance.

 

B.         Any situation which the student feels contributed to his or her academic difficulties should be clearly stated in the petition for readmission and documented to the extent practicable.  Remedies the student wishes to see taken should also be addressed in the petition. The petitioner must certify the truthfulness of all statements provided in the petition.

 

III.       Decisions to Admit or Deny Readmission

 

            A.         Decisions to Admit

 

            (1)        If the decision of the Readmissions Committee is to readmit, that decision is final.

 

                        (2)        Upon a decision to readmit, the Readmissions Committee or the faculty shall construct a plan and specify conditions for remedying the grade deficiency. Ordinarily, the student will be required to raise his or her cumulative grade point average to a 2.0 within one semester. In appropriate cases, the Readmissions Committee or the faculty may specify additional conditions for remedying the grade deficiency.

 

B.         Decisions to Deny

 

            (1)        If the decision of the Readmissions Committee is to deny readmission and that decision is unanimous, there is no appeal permitted, except as detailed in B(3) below. 

 

(2)        If the decision to deny readmission is not unanimous, the student has a right of appeal to the full faculty. [Automatic right to appeal].  If the faculty votes to deny readmission, that decision is final and no possibility of appeal within the LawSchool, campus, or university exists.

 

            (3)        If there is no entitlement to appeal in accordance with the above provisions, then the Dean or his or her designee may, in that person’s discretion but only in extraordinary circumstances, refer an appeal from a Readmissions Committee decision to the faculty. Such referral shall be accompanied by a written explanation for the granting of the appeal. [Discretionary appeal]. A student must request the Dean’s review within ten days of notification of the committee’s decision.  If the Dean or his or her designee decides not to refer to the faculty, that decision is final.

 

IV.       Notification of Decision of the Committee

 

A.         After the Readmissions Committee deliberates, the petitioning student shall be notified either that

 

(1) the student is readmitted, or

 

(2) the student is denied readmission and the decision is final, but that the student may seek leave to appeal from the Dean upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances or

 

(3) the student is denied readmission but has the right to appeal to the faculty.

 

B.         The full faculty shall constitute the appellate body for petitions after the fall semester. The executive committee of the faculty shall constitute the appellate body for petitions after the spring semester. Faculty may participate at their request in the faculty deliberations by teleconference.

 

V.         Attendance in Classes Pending Petition

 

            A.         Initial Petition

 

                        Students may continue in their classes until either the dean makes a determination to deny referral to the faculty under III(B)(3) or the faculty makes a determination under III(B)(2)-(3).  At that time, the student must cease attending classes if the decision is to deny readmission.

 

            B.         Subsequent Petitions

 

            Students may not attend classes until the Readmissions Committee has made a decision to readmit under III(A) or the faculty has made a decision to readmit under III(B)(2)-(3).

 

C.         Dismissal as a First Semester Student

 

            Students dismissed from the LawSchool for achieving a grade point average under 1.8 after their first semester must cease attending classes immediately upon notification.  The student may make their initial petition in the summer following their dismissal.  These students do not have the right to enroll or continue in any classes during the pendency of their petition.

 

VI.       Subsequent Petitions

 

  A.       Re-Petitions After Denial

 

A subsequent petition is a petition that has previously been denied. A subsequent petition may be considered by the Readmissions Committee only if it presents new evidence.  New evidence is evidence not available or not reasonably discoverable with a prior petition.  Subsequent petitions shall be determined by the same process and standard of review as petitions for readmission.

 

 

 B.        Petitions By Persons Who Have Previously Been Readmitted.

 

Only in exceptional circumstances will a student who has previously been readmitted and subsequently dismissed be readmitted again.