Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3364 - University of Toledo
Chapter 3364-77 - Graduate Student
Section 3364-77-02 - Graduate student academic grievance

(A) Policy statement

This policy supersedes and replaces all previous policies on graduate student academic grievance.

(B) Purpose of the policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide graduate students and their colleges with the procedures to be followed when an academic grievance is desired after grievance procedures within the student's program and academic college are exhausted. This policy grants the graduate student the right to appeal in writing to the dean of the college of graduate studies for further and final consideration of an academic grievance.

(C) Scope

These grievance procedures shall apply to students in all graduate programs at the university of Toledo. Students should refer to college specific handbooks in which their particular graduate programs reside for more detailed information about the administration and academic policies that govern their program and college. This policy provides the process for a graduate student to grieve any actions or failures to act or alleged violations of university, college or departmental policy (e.g., program dismissals, grade appeals, oral exam results, or any other academic decisions) that are perceived to impede their progress toward completion of their academic program.

Appeals dealing with academic dishonesty, including, but not limited to, cheating and plagiarism, are explicitly exempt from this process and shall be dealt with under the procedures outlined in rule 3364-77-01 of the Administrative Code (graduate academic dishonesty) or equivalent. This policy does not apply to grievances related to responsible conduct of research and/or authorship which are addressed in rule 3364-70-02 of the Administrative Code (responsible conduct of scholarship and research) and rule 3364-70-02 of the Administrative Code (integrity in research and procedures for investigating allegations of research misconduct).

(D) Procedure

Before a grievance can be submitted to the dean of the college of graduate studies, all processes and procedures established to resolve academic grievances in the graduate student's program and academic college must be exhausted. Any student questions on the processes and the documentation required for these initial steps should be addressed with the individual's program director and the office of the academic dean of the program's college. Students are responsible for understanding these procedures prior to submission of an appeal or grievance to their academic college.

Each academic college must have a graduate-level academic grievance committee to adjudicate such cases. It is recommended that each academic college constitute a committee for adjudicating graduate grievances separate from committees which hear undergraduate grievances. In the case where a college has only a single grievance committee for cases involving either undergraduate or graduate students, only graduate faculty members may adjudicate the cases involving graduate students or other graduate faculty members. No individual may sit in judgment of an appeal or grievance at more than one level of review (i.e., department level or college level or university level). Any appealed decision should be communicated to the college of graduate studies according to the procedures of the academic college.

After appeals within the academic college are exhausted, the graduate student may appeal in writing to the dean of the college of graduate studies. In such cases, the appeal process will follow the procedures established by this policy and the university of Toledo graduate council. Any procedural conflict existing between an academic college and the college of graduate studies will be resolved by the provost or designee.

An appeal to the dean of the college of graduate studies must comply with the following requirements: