Rule XII: Rules of Procedure for Appeals (Non-Academic Standing)

A. Scope of Rules

  1. These rules only govern procedures for individual student appeals of final grades and academic rule waiver decisions. This Rule and other Rules within these Academic Rules & Regulations provide avenues for appeal from Academic and Administrative decisions.  These expressly stated avenues for appeal are exclusive.  By way of example and not limitation, the following final decisions on academic matters by the Dean, Associate Deans, or Assistant Deans are final and non-appealable:
    1. Request by a student to switch sections where different instructors are teaching sections of the same course;
    2. The number of transfer credits toward the UNH Law degree granted for course work taken at another approved law school.

B. Application for Appeal

  1. The written application for appeal must clearly state:
    1. The identity of the party seeking appeal;
    2. The final grade or academic rule waiver decision being appealed;
    3. The specific decision from which the appeal is taken;
    4. The specific grounds on which the appeal is based;
    5. The appellant’s argument for overturning the final grade or decision;
    6. Whether appellant wishes to personally appear before the faculty (for appeal of academic rule waiver decisions only).

C. Appeals from an instructor’s grade

  1. Students desiring to appeal an instructor’s final grade should do so to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law. The decision for the appeal is final and unappealable. 
  2. The sole ground for appeal is that the final grade is the result of a clerical or mathematical error, and an appeal will be granted only if the final grade is the result of a clerical or arithmetic error. The burden is on the appellant to show that this standard is met.  
  3. Procedures for Final Grade Appeal 

a. Initial Outreach; substance and timing: Before appealing a final grade, the student must communicate in writing to the instructor whose grade the student wishes to appeal, and fully explain the grounds for the appeal. If the instructor believes the grade was the result of a clerical or arithmetic error, the instructor must so inform the Registrar, and submit a corrected grade. The initial outreach must occur within four weeks of the date the final grade has been released to the student. 

b. Information required for Appeal:  The appeal should include the following:  

  1. The name of the course and the grade being appealed;  
  2. A copy of the written communication sent to the instructor as the Initial Outreach, along with any response received from the instructor;  
  3. The precise ground for the appeal, including identification of the clerical or mathematical error alleged; 
  4. Any documents or other materials supporting the appeal.  

c. Role of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Upon receipt of Appeal from student, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will assign the appeal to a Faculty member to decide the appeal, and provide the materials to the instructor whose grade is being appealed.  

d. Materials considered in Appeal: In addition to the materials submitted by the student, the instructor has the right to challenge the appellant’s facts or standards or combination thereof, and must do so within two weeks of receiving the appeal materials. The entire proceeding is conducted by an exchange of documents.

e. Timeline for final decision: Upon receipt of the appeal from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and following the two-week period for instructor input pursuant to XII.C.3.c. the faculty member deciding the appeal must reach a final decision within eight weeks. Upon written request from the faculty member, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may extend this deadline.

D. Appeals for academic rule waiver decisions

  1. Students desiring an appeal for an academic rule waiver decision should do so to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within 2 weeks of the academic rule waiver decision.
  2. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will send a copy of the application for appeal and any written record to all faculty members.
  3. The appeal will be reviewed by the faculty at the next scheduled faculty meeting. The faculty will have at least one (1) week to review the appeal prior to the meeting.
  4. The decision from the faculty is final and unappealable.