Academic & University Policies

Program, Course Start Date 

The program start date is the start date of the first course in the student’s program. 

Students enrolled in School of Law programs  

Once a student is registered for a course in the Spring or Fall semester, the start date may not be moved. To start the course at a later time, the student must drop the course and re-register. Compliance with the Attendance policy is mandatory regardless of any courses dropped or added. 

Students may contact their Academic and Finance Advisor for assistance in determining the latest date they may start a course without violating the Attendance policy. 

Coursework may not be submitted until the course start date. 

Matriculation Policy

The Juris Doctor degree curriculum has been carefully constructed to ensure students meet the residency requirement of The Committee of Bar Examiners under the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California and the Rules Regulating the Accreditation of Law Schools in California. Accordingly, a student may not deviate from that curriculum without making a written request and obtaining the written permission of the Dean’s office. Students are expected to complete the curriculum without interruption unless written approval for a leave of absence from the Dean’s Office is obtained.  Further, a student may not extend the time for degree completion beyond the 84th month following the first term of enrollment.

Deviation from this matriculation policy without the written approval of the Dean’s office or Academic Standards Committee shall result in an academic sanction up to and including academic disqualification.

Advancement

Students are expected to satisfy academic graduation requirements under the sequence and schedule of courses spelled out in the curriculum. Students must be in good academic standing and must receive credit in all such required courses to be eligible to advance into the next year of study under the curriculum. Students who do not satisfy this requirement are subject to disqualification and must petition the Academic Standards Committee if they seek to avoid adverse academic action.

Attendance Requirements

State Bar regulations require each law student at a California State Bar-accredited law school to attend a minimum of 80 percent of the meetings for each course for which they receive credit. Any student who has absences in more than 20 percent of required class meetings for any course in a single semester/ session may be administratively withdrawn from the course (see Administrative Course Codes policies). If the student is withdrawn from a course required for good standing and advancement, the student may be academically disqualified and ineligible to continue studies.

Academic-Related Activities (ARAs) are used to determine a student’s official last date of attendance in NCUOne and corresponding enrollment status at the University. ARAs are also used to determine the effective date of active and withdrawn enrollment statuses. Academic-Related activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Uploading or completing an assignment (e.g., paper, project) in an online course
• Course-related online quizzes
• Accessing academically related online content within or related to an online course
• Participating in the Discussion Forum section of an online course (e.g., commenting on a discussion question posted by the faculty member, providing feedback to another student), provided that the discussion is related to the course content
• Attending a mandatory synchronous session of the course

NOTE: Academic-related activities must be posted to an online course no later than Sunday at 11:59 P.M. Arizona time each week. 

Educational Materials and Resources

Appropriate course materials, course syllabi, and course outlines are used for each course. Required course materials are indicated in the course syllabus by title, author, publisher, and ISBN. All course materials are provided to the students via the CMF.

NCU partners with several online textbook suppliers. Students having difficulty finding required textbooks and course materials may contact their Academic and Finance Advisor or email bookstore@ncu.edu for assistance.

Registration

Registration is completed with your Academic and Finance Advisor within the designated registration period.

Additional signed permission forms are required to register for Clinical Placements contact your Academic and Finance Advisor for additional information.

Changes in Registration

Students are expected to register for classes - including internships - during the registration period before the first day of the term. Registration remains open to drop courses during the beginning two weeks of the term. Students should work with their Academic and Finance Advisor to make changes in registration.

Students are required to pay any additional tuition charges. Schedule changes resulting in a reduction of units will be credited according to the refund schedule described in the following sections. If the student is on academic probation, registration and schedule changes must be done by an Academic and Finance Advisor. An approved Probation Form must accompany the initial registration as well as for each change of registration. The Probation form is available from the School of Law.  Phone permission is not acceptable for students on academic probation.

Add/Drop Period

Students may drop courses during the first 14 days of a term by contacting their Academic and Finance Advisor. Notifying an instructor or other office of intent to drop does not constitute an official drop. Fees are non-refundable beginning the first day of the term. 

Withdrawal Period

Beginning the fifteenth (15th) calendar day of the term. Course withdrawal requests that are submitted prior to the student attending 71% of the course will be issued a “W” grade.

Students who request a course withdrawal after attending 71% or more of a course will be issued a letter grade of F for numerically graded courses and a U (Unsatisfactory) in a Credit/No Credit course. 

“W” grades appear on student transcripts and do not contribute to GPA calculation. Withdrawals cannot be processed if a grade has been entered. Notifying an instructor or other office of intent to withdraw does not constitute an official withdrawal. Withdrawing from a course does not relieve the deferred payment obligation. Students who withdraw are still responsible for the full amount of tuition for the course and all fees. 

It is the student’s responsibility to be certain that his/her withdrawal status is properly achieved.  Contact your Academic and Finance Advisor for additional assistance.

Continuous Enrollment

Matriculated students are expected to maintain regular (continuous) enrollment in their program. To maintain continuous enrollment, students must remain in compliance with the JD attendance policies.

Academic Leave of Absence for Term-Based Programs

NCU programs are designed to allow students to pursue their educational efforts full-time while managing other responsibilities. NCU will consider granting an Academic Leave of Absence (LOA) for a term-based student who is experiencing hardships that make effective progress in their academic course of study unusually difficult. A leave of absence is defined as a temporary break from academic registration with a clear intent to return to the program of study.

Leaves are only available to students who have provided their official transcripts and have been officially admitted to the university, are currently in an active status, and have proceeded beyond the drop period in at least one course since beginning their program of study. Students in a term-based program on approved ALOA who receive Federal Financial Aid are considered withdrawn for financial aid purposes and a return of Title IV funds is required. Students may not receive Federal Financial Aid disbursements while on an ALOA.

Policy and procedure for students who require a leave of absence due to military deployment are given in the Military Leave of Absence policy.

Academic Leave of Absence Policy for Term-Based Programs

The Academic Leave of Absence policy for term-based programs is applicable to all officially admitted and enrolled students in term-based degree programs at Northcentral University. If a student is not actively enrolled in a program, the student is not eligible to apply for a leave of absence (LOA). Students provisionally admitted are not eligible for an LOA until the University receives official transcripts and the basis for admission is met. Students in term-based programs may be approved for a maximum of two consecutive semesters on an LOA in a 12-month period. Each LOA must be independently submitted each semester by the student and approved by the University. 

Matriculated students are expected to maintain regular (continuous) enrollment in their program. Students who are unable to enroll for one or more terms must complete a Leave of Absence request to avoid falling out of compliance with continuous enrollment requirements.  Failure to remain in continuous enrollment may result in administrative withdrawal from the university.

A leave of absence for term-based programs may be granted for up to two consecutive semesters within a 12-month period, including any term in which a student enrolled but withdrew from all courses.

Students must provide the following information in their Leave of Absence request: 

• The student provides evidence of an extenuating circumstance 
• The student is in good standing within their current course
• The University has a reasonable expectation the student will return to school

When unforeseen circumstances prevent a student from submitting an LOA request for a subsequent LOA, the University may grant a requested LOA if the reason and decision has been documented by the University. The University must receive the official LOA request from the student before the end of the LOA, and the request must be approved by the University. Unforeseen circumstances may include but are not limited to, medical and family emergencies, military, jury duty, business travel, inclement weather, and natural disasters. Any LOA granted by the University without a student request must be approved by an associate director or above.

During an LOA, term-based students are considered withdrawn for Title IV purposes and a Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation is required for financial aid recipients. During an approved LOA there will be limited access to the NCUOne Learning Management System.

When a student requests an LOA start date in the future and is officially or administratively withdrawn from the University prior to the start date of the LOA, the LOA is null and void and the student will be considered withdrawn effective their last date of attendance.

NOTE: Time spent on an LOA counts toward program length and is included when determining if a student can complete their degree program within the maximum time limits.

Required Documentation

An LOA is a temporary interruption in a student’s program of study and may be approved if the University determines there is a reasonable expectation the student will return. The University will not grant a student an LOA merely to delay the return of unearned Title IV funds or to avoid failing grades. Students must request the LOA, by proactively providing the academic and finance advisor (on or before the start of the LOA) a request, including the reason for the LOA.

When unforeseen circumstances prevent a student from proactively providing a request on or before the start of the LOA, the University may grant the LOA if it has documented the reason and decision. Unforeseen circumstances may include but are not limited to, medical and family emergencies, military, jury duty, business travel, University course unavailability, inclement weather, and natural disasters.

Access to University Resources During Leave

Students on leave do not maintain access to faculty, the online courseroom, or the Academic Success Center coaching service. Access to other university resources such as the NCU Library may also be limited while a student is on leave.

When doctoral candidates are not actively enrolled in a course, they have limited communication with NCU support staff and may not engage in certain activities related to their research. Specifically, doctoral candidates must be actively enrolled in a course to have contact with their dissertation chair. Doctoral candidates must also be actively enrolled in a dissertation course with NCU in order to recruit, obtain informed consent, have any contact with participants, or perform data collection if their Institutional Review Board (IRB) application has been approved.

Return from Leave

Students returning from an LOA remain in the degree program and catalog version in which they were enrolled at the time the LOA was approved.

If a student does not return to the University by the end of an approved LOA, the student will be administratively withdrawn from their program. To avoid being administratively withdrawn, the student must attend and vest in a term upon their LOA return date. The return term will be scheduled at the time of the LOA request and approval. It is the responsibility of the student to work with their Academic and Finance Advisor to begin a term on or before the date specified as the date of return from leave. The student’s withdrawal date is retroactive to the student’s last day of attendance (LDA).

Military students exceeding 180 days will be Administratively Withdrawn from the University. Students can submit their military orders to qualify for compassionate re-entry see General Re-entry Guidelines for additional information on returning to NCU.

Juris Doctor Enrollment Status

For the purpose of financial aid and enrollment verification enrollment status is determined by the number of units per semester. *Residency requirements under the CA State Bar Rules for Accredited Programs may vary.

Semester Unit (Credit)

NCU awards credit earned based on semester credits. Most courses carry 3-semester credits. It is expected that a student taking a 3-credit course will need to spend approximately 135-144 hours on learning experiences such as reading and study; research; faculty-student interaction; demonstration of defined learning outcomes through assignments, papers, and projects; examinations; and assessment of performance.

Maximum Unit Load

JD students who wish to register for more than 15 units per semester must obtain prior written approval from the Dean’s Office.

Examination Policies and Procedures

Online Proctored Examinations

A proctored exam is an exam that is supervised by a neutral person, a proctor, who validates and confirms the identity of the test taker and ensures the integrity of the test-taking environment. The School of Law uses an online, remote proctoring service called Examplify. Examplify connects to the student’s computer and webcam while the exam is being administered. The proctored exam process is carefully monitored to ensure all policies and procedures are strictly followed.

Students must adhere to the standards outlined in the University’s Academic Integrity and Student Code of Conduct policies while taking exams.

Identity Verification for Examinations

All students must have a government-issued picture I.D. (e.g., driver’s license, passport, military ID) to verify their identity prior to beginning a School of Law online examination. Students who do not provide the required photo I.D. will not be allowed to take an examination.

Students should use their University-issued student ID number when taking law school examinations. If you do not know your student ID number, please contact your Academic and Finance Advisor.

Examination Scheduling Policy

Students are notified in advance of the exam schedules for their term. Students must ensure that they comply with the stated exam schedule. Students who encounter extraordinary circumstances that prohibit them from taking an exam at the required date and time may submit an appeal to reschedule to the Dean’s Office if it meets the following criteria:

• The student’s religious beliefs prohibit the taking of an examination at the scheduled time;
• The student is experiencing grave illness or injury, which hospitalizes or otherwise incapacitates the student;
• The student has had a death in the immediate family immediately preceding the examination date; or
• The student is experiencing a dire family emergency involving an immediate family member.

All decisions rendered by the Dean’s office are final and may not be appealed.

Grades & Academic Standards

The John F. Kennedy School of Law at NCU is dedicated to providing students with educational opportunities and quality legal education. To maintain the integrity of its academic program and best serve its students, the School of Law will not continue to enroll any student who manifests a lack of ability to do satisfactory work and whose continuation in law school could generate false hopes or detrimentally affect the education of other students. Further, it is central to the mission of the School of Law to train well-qualified and ethical attorneys to serve the public. Continuing the enrollment of students who likely will not have the ability to serve clients in such a manner is inconsistent with our mission.

Academic Performance Grade Scale

Grades are based on the faculty member’s academic judgment that the student has demonstrated a specified level of performance based on objective and subjective evaluations such as papers, presentations, assignments, examinations, projects, and discussions. Criteria for awarding grades for achievement may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Preparation of assignments, including accuracy, legibility, and promptness;
• Contribution to faculty member-student discussions;
• Demonstrated understanding of concepts on exams, papers, assignments, etc.;
• Application of skills and principles to new and real-life situations;
• Organization, presentation, and professionalism of written and oral reports;
• Originality and reasoning ability demonstrated in working through assignments; and

Grade points are assigned to academic performance grades as indicated and are used to calculate a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) for each student.

Grading Guidelines

School of Law students earn a grade based on final examinations, assignments, and activities submitted throughout the duration of their courses. 

Grading Scale

Credit/No Credit Grades

Elective courses and most skills-based courses use Credit/No Credit grading. Students will receive Credit for the course provided the student work is evaluated as the equivalent of a 73 or above (2.00 or “C”). Note that on your transcript, a grade of Credit will appear as an “S” and a grade of “No Credit” will appear as a “U”.  Important: earning No Credit (U) in a required course subjects a student to academic disqualification regardless of overall grade point average. 

Numerical Grades

Numerical grading is used in all required courses covering doctrine tested on the California Bar Exam and in other courses as designated.

The following chart shows letter grade and GPA equivalents for School of Law courses:

Final Course Grade for Numerically Graded Required Doctrine Courses:

The final exam at the end of the course along with additional points (if eligible) from the assessment of weekly activities will serve as the final course grade.

Final Examinations in Numerically Graded Required Doctrine Courses:

In numerically graded, required doctrine courses, final exams will ordinarily consist of one essay question per course credit (e.g., three essays for 3 credit courses; 2 essays for 2 credit courses).  All exams will be scored on a numerical scale of 50-100, with a score of 62 or below being the equivalent of an “F” and the score of 73 equivalent to a ‘just passing’ grade of “C” or 2.00, as shown in the chart above.

In numerically, graded doctrine courses, final exams will be taken on Examplify, an ExamSoft tool. Instructions regarding how to set up your ExamSoft account and take mock exams prior to the actual final exam will be shared during the term.  Students may use outlines and personal notes and any scratch paper to outline their answers.  Students will NOT be able to access their computer to view electronic outlines, notes, or the text during the exams. Make sure any materials you would like to refer to during the exam are printed prior to exam time.

All students will be required to acknowledge an honor code which, if violated, may lead to dismissal from the University.  Students must work 100% on their own during all final exams and may not contact or respond to any other student during exams.

Weekly Online Activities in Numerically Graded Required Doctrine Courses:

Weekly online activities, such as assignments, exercises, discussion questions, quizzes and other submissions are designed to promote, reinforce, and enhance student learning which, in turn, is designed to improve student performance on examinations.  Faculty will assess the submitted weekly online activities on a weekly basis and assign a weekly numerical score. Individual submissions need not be scored; it is the entire week’s work that is assessed a specific score.

Weekly course activities can earn a point value of 0, 2, or 4 which will be averaged and added to the final course grade provided the student earns at least a score of 73 on the final examination. For example, a student who earns a 74 on the final examination and an average score of 4 for all the weekly online activities, will receive a final course grade of 78. Alternatively, a student who earns a 68 on the final examination is not eligible for additional points and will receive a final course grade of 68.  At the end of the semester, faculty will calculate the number of additional points, if any, that may be awarded under these policies.

Weekly Course Activity Grading Rubric: 

In numerically graded required doctrine courses for which students earn an academic letter grade, students will earn credit for the course if they earn a minimum of 63 points (“D”) or above in the course, but all students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better to be considered in good academic standing.  

School of Law Minimum Grade Requirements

ADA Course Accommodations

Students receiving ADA accommodations that extend their original course completion date are also eligible for Dean-approved course modifications and incomplete grade extensions beyond the approved ADA accommodation date.

Administrative Course Codes

Administrative course codes do not contribute to GPA calculation.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grades

A mark of Satisfactory (S) grade is equivalent to acceptable undergraduate or graduate performance (“C” (72 points) or higher for law students). An Unsatisfactory (U) grade indicates that the course was not mastered. S and U grades are not included in computing the grade-point average. S grades are, however, recorded as units completed and included as units satisfying degree requirements.

Incomplete

An Incomplete (I) grade may be given to a student who has maintained satisfactory attendance and work throughout most of the course, but due to extraordinary circumstances is unable to complete the required work by the end of the semester/session in which the course was taken.

Granting of an “I” grade is at the discretion of the instructor with the approval of the Dean’s office. An incomplete will be granted only for that period of time commensurate with the extraordinary circumstances justifying the incomplete and are rarely granted in courses where final examinations are required.  If students otherwise in good standing are unable to sit for final examinations, they must seek a withdrawal or leave of absence. If an incomplete is granted, students have a maximum of one semester/session beyond the term in which the course was offered to submit the required work. The instructor may set a date for submission for the work that results in a shorter period than the maximum allowed. 

It is the student’s responsibility to request an Incomplete from the instructor and, if the instructor approves an Incomplete, to provide the instructor with the Incomplete Grade Form. An “I” grade will be considered valid and recorded only if the form is complete and signed by the student, the instructor, and the Dean’s office. The signed Incomplete form must be submitted in conjunction with the final grade report for that course.

The student must have a good reason for requesting an incomplete and must submit a request to the instructor before the date grades for the course are due to be recorded. Ordinarily, good reason will involve matters not wholly within the control of the student such as illness. The mark may not be used to allow a student to improve a grade by performing additional work or by the repetition of work already submitted to the instructor.

If the Incomplete is not made up in accordance with the above policy, the instructor will assign and submit a final grade or, in the absence of such an assessment and submission, the “I” grade will be converted to a failing grade (F in a letter-graded course, 50 in a numerically graded course, U in a Credit/No Credit-graded course).

Students are not permitted to graduate with an Incomplete on their transcript.

Repeating Courses

Students are not permitted to repeat courses where credit has been earned unless required under the terms of probation approved by the Academic Standards Committee.  In such cases both the original and repeat enrollments will be noted on the student’s transcript; however only the credits and grade points earned for the higher passing grade are computed in the grade-point average.  When both grades are equal or there is no basis to determine which is higher (as in the case, for example of a U and an F or an S and an A), the last occurrence will apply to the grade-point calculation.

Academic Standards Committee

The Academic Standards Committee, composed of members of the law school faculty appointed by the Dean, develops and implements the law school’s academic standards. The committee has the authority to enforce academic standards, including probation and disqualification. It also may place conditions on continued enrollment, such as repetition of courses, participation in Academic Support activities, and counseling.

Minimum academic requirements must be met for a student to remain in good academic standing. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in academic disqualification or placement on academic probation. 

Because exceptions to policy are rarely granted, students are urged to do everything possible to maintain good academic standing. To avoid the risk of disqualification or other academic sanctions, students are encouraged to perform their academic responsibilities at the highest possible level.

A. Appointment

The Academic Standards Committee (“Committee”) is responsible for matters related to academic disqualification, probation, advancement in the full-time program, requests for change of grade, review of examination questions, and similar academic matters. 

The Committee consists of no fewer than three and no more than six School of Law faculty members, appointed by the Dean of the School of Law, who also appoints a Chairperson from among the appointed members. The Dean serves as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Committee.

B. Committee Meetings

The Committee meets as needed to conduct its business. Meetings are closed and conducted in private.The Committee shall keep minutes of all meetings.

C. Action by Majority

A majority of the Committee’s voting members present at a meeting where a quorum is present (not including any member disqualified under these Regulations) must approve any final Committee decision. A majority of Committee members is required for quorum.

D. Disqualification of Committee Members

No voting Committee member is disqualified from considering a petition solely because she or he is or has been the petitioning student’s instructor, unless the student alleges, with adequate support, that the Committee member will not be able to act fairly on the student’s petition. The Dean shall review any such allegation. If the Dean determines that the allegation may have merit, the member shall not participate in the Committee’s consideration of or vote on the petition.

E. Personal Appearance by Student/Additional Information

A petitioning student has no right to appear in person before the Committee. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may request that a student meet with one or more members of the Committee or provide additional material or information.   

F. Submission of Petitions

To be effective, a petition filed or other material submitted to the Committee must be sent electronically to the Academic Operations Manager of the School of Law. 

Academic Standards Policy

Determination of Academic Standards: Academic standings will ordinarily be assessed at the conclusion of a complete academic year of study. If a study’s cumulative GPA drops below 1.33 after any semester, or if a student earns no credit in any required course at any time, that student will face academic disqualification prior to the completion of the academic year.

Academic Disqualification - Standards, Notice, and Consequences

A. GPA Below 2.0 – Academic Disqualification

The School of Law will disqualify any student whose cumulative GPA is below a 2.0 or who does not receive credit in any course required under the applicable part-time or full-time curriculum for the student’s current academic year. Further, the School of Law will disqualify any student who receives a grade of less than a “C” grade (73 points) in two or more required courses during each academic year, regardless of overall grade point average. The Dean or the Dean’s designee will identify those students subject to academic disqualification at the conclusion of each spring term. Academic disqualification is effective as of the final day of the spring term.

B. Notice

Within 20 business days after the posting of spring grades for all numerically graded courses, the School of Law shall send written (and, if an e-mail address is available, electronic) notification of disqualification (“Disqualification Notice”) to each student subject thereto under Section 3(A) above. The Disqualification Notice shall: (i) state that the student is academically disqualified, and (ii) explain the procedure for submitting a Petition for Advancement on Probation, set forth in Section 4 below.

Each student must ensure that the School of Law has their current mailing address. The NCU email address assigned to all students shall be used as the official mailing address for all academic or administrative notices. The failure to provide a current mailing address to the School of Law or a failure to monitor and check the official email address shall be deemed a waiver by the student of the right to actual notice under these Regulations.

C. Consequences of Academic Disqualification

After disqualification, a student may enroll in and attend classes at the School of Law in the immediately following term only if: (a) the student has filed a timely Petition for Advancement on Probation, as described in Section 4 below, and (b) the Committee has granted the petition or has not acted upon it when that term begins. If the Committee subsequently denies the petition, the student will be withdrawn from classes and will receive a credit of tuition paid for that term. 

D. Leave of Absence

While on academic probation, a student shall not be granted a leave of absence. If a student does not fulfill the terms of probation, the student will be disqualified. 

A. Petition for Advancement on Probation

1. Introduction

A student who has been disqualified and who wishes to continue in the School of Law without interruption must file with the Committee a Petition for Advancement on Probation.

2. Timing

To be timely, the petition must be postmarked no later than the 10th calendar day after the date of the Disqualification Notice’s mailing. A petition must be electronically received no later than 5 p.m. on the 10th calendar day after the date of the Disqualification Notice’s mailing. In either case, if the tenth day is a Saturday, Sunday, or other days on which the School of Law is closed, the time for mailing or delivery expires at 5 p.m. on the next day that the School of Law is open. The Committee may extend the time for filing the petition, in its sole discretion, on a showing of good cause, if the petitioning student requests an extension within the original 10-day period.

If a petition is not filed within the time period above, the academic disqualification will stand and no further notice will be required.

3. Standard

A Petition for Advancement on Probation must: (a) explain the reasons for the student’s unsatisfactory performance; (b) show that the unsatisfactory performance was the result of extraordinary circumstances not likely to recur, and (c) demonstrate that the student will be able to perform satisfactorily in the future. It must also be supported by documentation when appropriate. The Committee may grant a Petition for Advancement on Probation if it addresses each of the matters in the foregoing clauses (a)-(c) and clearly shows that special circumstances and good cause support a departure from the School of Law’s academic disqualification standard.

B. Rules Applicable to Petition for Advancement on Probation

1. Consideration and Decision

The Committee shall consider each timely petition at its next scheduled meeting unless the Chairperson or the Committee determines that more time is needed to review the petition’s merits. The Committee shall inform the petitioning student of its decision in writing. The Committee may grant a petition in full or conditionally; award relief other than that requested by the student; defer its decision and request the submission of additional documentation, or deny the petition. If the Committee defers its decision, the student’s disqualification remains in effect until the Committee reaches a decision on the merits.

The Committee may deny any petition that fails to meet these Regulations’ requirements, including its requirements as to timeliness and content.

Any decision by the Committee as to a Petition for Advancement on Probation is final. There is no right of appeal to the Committee. The Dean may request clarification or reconsideration of any decision by the Committee. A decision of the Committee cannot be modified or overturned by the Dean except upon a written finding by the Dean of an abuse of discretion

2. Additional Factors

In addition to other evidence, the Committee may consider the following factors in acting upon a petition:

1. The student’s entire scholastic record, including LSAT scores, First-Year Law Student’s Examination results, undergraduate and graduate school transcripts, writing samples, prior performance at the School of Law, and records from any other law school attended.
2. Previous academic disqualification from any institution of higher learning.
3. Previous advancement on probation or compliance with a condition of readmission or probation at any institution of higher learning
4. Any other material relevant to the petitioning student’s academic ability.

3. Conditions

The Committee may grant a Petition for Advancement on Probation subject to conditions. For example, the Committee may require that a petitioning student:

a. Repeat any course previously taken at the School of Law in which the student’s final grade was less than a “C” grade (73 points), and achieve a final grade of at least a “C” grade (73 points) (or higher as determined by the Committee) in the course;

b. Attain a mid-academic year cumulative GPA of 2.30 or better in addition to cumulative or academic year-end GPA of 2.30 or better (the specific grade point average to be determined by the Committee);

c. Satisfy any other condition designed to monitor or improve the student’s likelihood for success at the study of law, including course-load or work-schedule adjustments. 

Should the Committee grant the student’s Petition for Advancement on Probation, the student who fails to comply with any condition of probation imposed by the Committee, unless otherwise expressly excused by the Committee in writing, is subject to immediate academic disqualification.

4. Probation

As required by the State Bar, students who advance to the next year on probation must regain good academic standing by the end of the next academic term, unless the Committee requires the student to attain good academic standing by an earlier date.

The School of Law is prohibited from continuing students on probation beyond one year.  Specifically, the State Bar regulations state, “Students advanced to their next year of law study on probation must be academically disqualified if they do not meet the law school’s requirements for advancement in good standing and retention at the end of that year.” (7.3.A., State Bar Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules).

Grade Change & Appeal Policy

This policy sets forth the conditions under which grades, once properly submitted to the School of Law may be changed. It further governs the procedures by which Petitions for Grade Changes are submitted and evaluated.

The purpose of the Grade Change Policy is to provide students with an opportunity to dispute a final grade perceived to be inaccurate or even unfair while respecting the academic independence and responsibility of faculty. It also provides faculty the opportunity to request corrections to grades that were submitted as a result of clear mistakes or errors in the grading process. The School of Law recognizes that:

• The integrity of the grading process is paramount in maintaining the overall integrity and credibility of the School of Law. The accurate recording of grades and the meticulous maintenance of academic transcripts is a core function of the University. 
• Once submitted or recorded, grades on transcripts or other official records may not be changed absent significant procedural safeguards;
• Every student has a right to receive a grade based upon a fair and unprejudiced evaluation derived from a method that is neither arbitrary nor capricious; and
• Faculty have the right to assign a grade based on any method that is professionally acceptable, submitted in writing to all students, and applied equally, and to be protected from undue influence or inappropriate pressure in the assignment of grades.

Scope

This policy does not allow challenges to an instructor’s grading standard or methods provided they are found to be neither arbitrary nor prejudicial.

Complaints about unfair grades alleged to be motivated by discrimination or sexual harassment are to be addressed to the appropriate University office responsible for managing complaints related to such conduct.

Definitions

• Arbitrariness. The grade awarded is not based reasonably on criteria related to course objectives, student learning outcomes, the grading rubric contained in the course syllabus, or other expected standards of judgment.
• Error. The instructor made a mistake in fact (clerical error) or calculation (mathematical error).
• Prejudice. The grade awarded is motivated by ill will, and is not indicative of the student’s actual demonstrated academic performance.

Note:  The burden of proof required of a student seeking a reconsideration of grade based on prejudice, ill will, or bias toward a student must address the challenge of making such a showing in classes where grades are determined by anonymous grading methods.

Grounds

Only clerical or mathematical errors, arbitrariness, or prejudice will be considered as legitimate grounds to approve a Petition for Grade Change.

It must be shown that any error or irregularity in the grading process would have made a significant difference in the grade awarded. 

While a student has a right to expect fairness in the grading process, it must be recognized that varied standards, individual approaches, and discretion in grading are valid. This policy does not provide recourse for the reassessment or re-evaluation of final grades, individual assignments, or projects absent specific findings of error, mistake, or prejudice. Grades are assigned within the context of the performance of an entire class, the applicable grading curve, if present, and other factors.

All grade changes may be approved only upon the recommendation and approval of the Academic Standards Committee following the procedure below. This ensures that no individual faculty member or administrator has the authority to approve a change to a submitted or recorded grade. This procedural step is necessary given the importance of maintaining the integrity of the grading process, the academic freedom of faculty, and the need to protect any individual faculty member or administrator from undue pressure or influence.

Procedure

Students or faculty may petition for a change of grade. Faculty who discover an error or mistake in their recorded grades may submit a Petition for Grade Change directly to the Academic Standards Committee.  

Students who feel that they have received an erroneous grade may discuss the matter first with the faculty member to see if there is agreement on the existence of an error or mistake in the grading process that would result in a petition for a grade change made directly by the faculty member. 

A student is not required, however, to communicate directly with the faculty member if concerns exist regarding the anonymity of the grading process or any possible conflict with the faculty member.

A student may submit a petition for grade change directly to the Committee and may request that the faculty member not be advised of the identity of the student (other than examination number). This may occur whether or not the student chose to consult with the faculty member or if the faculty member.

All petitions for a grade change must be submitted within 30 days after the grade was first recorded with the Office of the Registrar or the student was notified of the grade by the School of Law.

• The Academic Standards Committee shall review and decide the petition within 30 days of the original submission.  Although the Academic Standards Committee may confer with faculty or with the petitioner if needed, no hearings are required. 
• The Academic Standards Committee shall report its decision in writing and will notify the student and the Office of the Registrar if a change has been approved. 
• The decision of the Academic Standards Committee cannot be overturned by the Dean except upon a clear showing of abuse of discretion in its decision-making.

Administrative Dismissal

Subject to proper notice, the right to a hearing, and the right of appeal, the School of Law reserves the right to dismiss administratively any student from the program who: (1) unilaterally withdraws from the program without administrative approval from the School of Law or University; (2) breaches a curriculum contract, condition of admission, or other agreement with the School of Law or University that constitutes a condition of enrollment in the program; or (3) fails to abide by School of Law or University policies, rules, or regulations governing admission, registration, financial aid, or student conduct.

Program Change

Students must contact their Academic and Finance Advisor for assistance in changing their degree programs. Student and Financial Services are required to evaluate the impact on federal financial aid eligibility when a student requests to change degree programs after federal financial aid has been disbursed. In some cases, a program change will result in a return of federal aid per the withdrawal from the initial program and the immediate re-packaging of federal aid that will apply towards the new program.

Changes of school, degree level, specialization, and changes from a professional doctorate to a doctorate of philosophy or vice versa, require Dean’s approval.

Upon receiving Dean approval, students must complete a new application and enrollment agreement for the new degree program. The student’s new application and Dean’s approval are then submitted to the Office of the Registrar for evaluation and admissions approval in accordance with University policy. Once approved, the Office of the Registrar updates the student’s degree plan and program of study.

Program Discontinuation

If the University decides to discontinue an academic program, all students that remain continuously enrolled are afforded the opportunity to complete their program.

Official Withdrawal

Students have the right to withdraw from the University at any time. NCU team members who receive a student request to withdraw from the University will submit the request to the Office of the Registrar for processing on behalf of the student using the date they received the student’s request as the Request Date. If students are enrolled in a course at the time of withdrawal, the Office of the Registrar will use applicable Grading Policies & Procedures to determine the final grade of the withdrawn course.

See the Refund Policy and Procedure for applicable financial policies. 

Honors

Dean’s List

Each year after the grades for the spring semester are posted, the School of Law publishes a Dean’s List based on students’ grade point averages for that year (summer through spring; not on students’ cumulative grade point averages). A student must have earned a GPA of 3.00 or above with at least 12 units of numerically graded courses during the year to be considered for the Dean’s List, except fourth-year students, who are eligible with seven numerically graded units. 

The Dean’s List honor is also posted to the student’s transcript.

Graduation Requirements

Students must submit a Diploma Application through NCUOne, which triggers a final degree audit. The audit process confirms that the student has met all academic and programmatic requirements and is financially clear. The Diploma Application final degree audit is reviewed and completed by the Academic and Finance Advisor, the School of the degree program to be conferred, Student and Financial Services, and the Office of the Registrar.

Upon successful completion of the final degree audit, the student is degree-conferred and the diploma order is submitted to NCU’s third-party diploma vendor for processing.

A student’s program completion date is the end date of the last course in their program. This date will be used as the student’s degree conferral and diploma date.

Graduation with Honors

Juris Doctor students who have completed their degree requirements, have completed at least 39 of the 62 required numerically graded units in residence at the School of Law, and have taken no more than 17 terms (including summers) to complete their degree requirements are eligible for graduation with honors as follows:

Academic honors will be posted on the students’ transcript and diploma.

Diploma Application and Degree Conferral

The student’s name in the official record will be printed on their diploma. Students may type out how they want their name to appear on the diploma in the diploma application, however; only minor deviations from the name will be allowed (e.g., omission or inclusion of middle name or suffix, abbreviated or nickname). If a student wants a different name than what is on record, they must complete a change of information request prior to submitting the diploma application. Contact the Office of the Registrar at graduation@ncu.edu for additional assistance.

Students receive one free diploma and diploma cover upon completion of the degree conferral audit and approval process. Students may order duplicate copies of their diploma. See Miscellaneous Fees for duplicate fee information.

Commencement Ceremony

The current commencement ceremony calendar and general information about the NCU graduation process and ceremony schedule can be found at http://ncu.edu/commencement

Students may order their regalia from NCU’s third-party regalia vendor. The third-party vendor’s website and contact information is published on www.ncu.edu.