Section XII

Petitions: Graduate school rules and graduate associate policies

Students are expected to follow the rules approved by the Graduate Council and presented in this handbook. A student who believes that circumstances warrant a waiver of a rule may submit a petition to the Graduate School.

Graduate School Rules. Petitions about Graduate School rules must be directed to the dean of the Graduate School, must include a written statement from the student requesting the waiver of a specific rule and describing the circumstances, and must include written statements from the student’s advisor, the course instructor (if appropriate), and the graduate studies committee chair, reacting to the student’s request and providing any additional information pertinent to the waiver request.

Graduate Associate Policies. Petitions about GA appointments are considered by the graduate studies committee, the dean of the Graduate School, or the head of the appointing unit, depending on the nature of the petition. The graduate studies committee considers eligibility petitions from students who wish to hold a GA appointment but who are on probation, who are not maintaining reasonable progress toward a degree, or who need to take non-graduate courses. The graduate studies committee must notify the dean of the Graduate School of its decision. The dean of the Graduate School considers petitions concerning the other rules presented on graduate associates. The head of the appointing unit considers petitions concerning waiver of rules established by the appointing unit.