Table of Contents

• Policy
• Appeal Process for Graduate Students
• Guidance to Departments About their Policies and Procedures
• Contacts

Policy

Graduate students have the right to appeal an academic decision related to an L&S graduate program if the student believes that the decision is inconsistent with published policy.

Academic decisions that may be appealed include: 

• Dismissal from the graduate program

• Failure to pass a qualifying or preliminary examination

• Failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress

• Academic disciplinary action related to failure to meet professional conduct standards

Issues such as the following cannot be appealed using this process:

• A faculty member declining to serve as a graduate student’s advisor.

• Decisions regarding the student’s disciplinary knowledge, evaluation of the quality of work, or similar judgements. These are the domain of the department faculty.

• Course grades. These can be appealed instead using the L&S Policy for Grade Appeal.

• Incidents of bias or hate, hostile and intimidating behavior, or discrimination (Title IX, Office of Compliance). Direct these to the linked campus offices appropriate for the incident(s).

Appeal Process for Graduate Students

A graduate student wishing to appeal an academic decision must follow the process in the order listed below. Note time limits within each step.

1. The student should first seek informal resolution, if possible, by discussing the concern with their academic advisor, the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, and/or the department chair.

2. If the program has an appeal policy listed in their graduate program handbook, the student should follow the policy as written, including adhering to any indicated deadlines. In the absence of a specific departmental process, the chair or designee will be the reviewer and decision maker, and the student should submit a written appeal to the chair within 15 business days of the academic decision. The chair or designee will notify the student in writing of their decision.

3. If the departmental process upholds the original decision, the graduate student may next initiate an appeal to L&S. To do so, the student must submit a written appeal to the L&S Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs within 15 business days of notification of the department’s decision.

   1. To the fullest extent possible, the written appeal should include, in a single document: a clear and concise statement of the academic decision being appealed, any relevant background on what led to the decision, the specific policies involved, the relief sought, any relevant documentation related to the departmental appeal, and the names and titles of any individuals contributing to or involved in the decision.

   2. The Assistant Dean will work with the Academic Associate Dean of the appropriate division to consider the appeal. They may seek additional information and/or meetings related to the case. 

   3. The Assistant Dean and Academic Associate Dean will provide a written decision within 20 business days.

If L&S upholds the original decision, the graduate student may appeal to the Graduate School. More information can be found on their website: Grievances and Appeals (see: Graduate School Appeal Process).

Guidance to Departments About their Policies and Procedures

Each department’s graduate program handbook should clearly articulate academic expectations, the criteria that are used to make academic decisions, and any relevant policies, such as for dismissal.

Each department should further consider a department-level appeal process for review of the graduate student academic decisions outlined above. Such policies should include clear timelines.

The different types of departmental appeal structures that may be possible include review by:

1. the department chair;

2. a small group of members of the executive committee, with or without the Chair as a member;

3. a standing committee of the department (e.g., a curriculum committee or an appeals committee); or

4. the entire executive (or graduate faculty) committee.

A chair who is confronted with a potentially difficult situation is encouraged to consult with their Academic Associate Dean and the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs. 

Contacts

For more information or with questions, please contact Lynne Prost, L&S Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs: lprost@wisc.edu