2024-2025 Student Handbook

an incomplete or unsatisfactory grade or other late sanctions of the faculty member as well as be deemed not to be in compliance with the standards to satisfy the Legal Writing Requirement.

DUE DATE : No later than the last day of the grading period.

I. Elective Add/Drop Period

During the first week of classes a student who has registered for an elective course or courses may add or drop the course or courses. Course changes are not allowed after the close of the designated add/drop period, except with the permission of the Assistant Dean for Academic Services, the Dean of Students or an Associate Dean. Failure to withdraw within the add/drop period may result in a grade of No Credit (F).

J. Extensions Beyond End of Semester

Any paper or other project required for a final grade in a course must be submitted by the deadline set by the instructor for the course. If, for compelling reasons (other than a disability accommodation that may be granted for a specific project or paper, which must first be requested through the law school’s disability coordinator), the instructor allows an extension of time to complete the paper or project, the extension may be for a period no longer than 90 days from the end of the examination period. It is entirely within the instructor’s discretion to set the extended deadline for a period shorter than 90 days. No further extension may be granted unless approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Services, the Dean of Students or an Associate Dean for extraordinary reasons. During any extension, the course grade will be recorded temporarily as “Incomplete.” However, if by the end of the examination period or extension, the paper or project has not been submitted, a grade of NO CREDIT (F) will be recorded. If more than one unresolved Incomplete or Exam Excusal (as defined in Rule III. F.) appears in a student’s cumulative academic record, the student may not enroll in any courses for any subsequent semester or session until no more than one such Incomplete or Exam Excusal remains. Students who are unable to enroll in any courses for a semester due to this restriction will be placed on a leave of absence. A student’s academic standing for a given semester will be determined once all Incomplete(s) and/or Exam Excusal(s) are resolved. Special programs of study, including reduced course loads, not prescribed by the Faculty must be approved in advance of registration by the Dean of Students. A regular student who by adding or dropping courses does not take a normal course load during any academic year may be reclassified as a special student for annual tuition payment purposes. In no event will the total tuition cost of the Juris Doctor degree for a special student be less than that for a regular student. A student taking ten (10) credit hours or more per semester in the Day Division or seven (7) credit hours or more in the Evening Division per semester is a regular student for purposes of tuition. A first year student receiving fewer than 25 credit hours in the day division or fewer than 16 credit hours in the evening division will not receive a class rank. Without a class rank a student may not be eligible for certain honors including but not limited to some scholarships and honor board competitions. All students are expected to complete Legal Practice Skills during their first year, including those who have been approved for a reduced-course load. No student may withdraw from Legal Practice Skills unless he or she is withdrawing from Legal Practice Skills as part of an overall Leave of Absence from school. Accordingly, withdrawals due to class absences, failure to complete assignments on time, or due to the likelihood of a low final grade in Legal Practice Skills will not be permitted. K. Special Students and Reduced Course Loads

L. Distance Education

1. A Distance Education course is defined as one in which students are separated from the faculty member or each other for more than one-third of the instruction, and the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction among students and between the students and faculty, either synchronously or asynchronously. These courses can be hybrid or exclusively online.

31