2014-2015 School of Law Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2014-2015 School of Law Catalog archived

Changes to 2014-2015 Law Catalog


–Changes approved by Law Faculty

 

JURIS DOCTOR - Degree Requirements:

Changes to no. 8.   Every student is expected to maintain satisfactory academic performance throughout the terms of residence.

Subpart (1) applies to the Law Classes of 2015 and 2016; subpart (2) applies to the Law Class of 2017 and to subsequent classes.

    (1)   Applicable to the Law Classes of 2015 and 2016

A.  A student who fails to attain a cumulative average of 1.75 at the end of the second or fourth semester of study is ineligible to continue in the School of Law.

B.  A student who fails to attain a cumulative average of 2.00 at the end of the sixth semester of study is ineligible to continue in the School of Law or to receive a degree.

C.  A student who receives during any semester a grade of F in two or more graded courses is ineligible to continue in the School of Law or to receive a degree.

    (2)  Applicable to the Law Class of 2017 and beyond

A.  Beginning with a student’s second semester, a student who fails to attain a cumulative average of 2.33 at the end of any semester is ineligible to continue in the School of Law. 

B.  A student who fails to attain a cumulative average of 2.33 at the end of the sixth semester is ineligible to receive a degree. 

C.  A student who during any of the first five semesters of law school receives two D+ or lower grades in one semester is automatically placed on academic suspension for the following semester.  If a student leaves school for one semester, readmission requires compliance with existing reinstatement procedures.

Grading Policy

** A mandatory mean grade applies in every course, including first‐year and upper‐class courses, and including seminars, clinics, externships, practicum courses, and all other graded activities with the exception of (1) independent research, for which the only grades are “pass” or “not passing” and (2) the two‐week skills immersion courses, for which the only grades are “honors,” “pass,” “low pass” or “not passing,” with no more than 20% of the grades being “honors.”

The mandatory mean grade is 3.30, plus or minus 0.05, except in courses in which more than half the grade depends on work product other than an exam, for which the mandatory mean grade is 3.50, plus or minus 0.05. This exception does not apply to first‐year writing sections, for which the mean is the generally applicable mean of 3.30, plus or minus 0.05. If a course offers students the option of taking an exam or writing a paper, the course is treated as an exam course, and the mandatory mean is 3.30, plus or minus 0.05.  For all courses in all three years, regardless of enrollment, the grade of F shall be excluded from the mandatory mean calculation.

Except for first-year courses, additional flexibility is allowed in smaller enrollment courses:

Courses in which more than half of the grade depends upon an exam

-over 30 students

               +/- 0.05            3.30 (3.35 - 3.25)

-21-30 students          

               +/- 0.1              3.30 (3.40 - 3.20)

-20 or fewer students

               +/- 0.2              3.30 (3.50 - 3.10)

 

Courses in which more than half of the grade depends on work product other than an exam

(e.g., seminars/simulation/clinics/practicums/externships)

-over 30 students

               +/- 0.05            3.50 (3.55 - 3.45)

-21-30 students

               +/- 0.1              3.50 (3.60 - 3.40)

-20 or fewer students

               +/- 0.2              3.50 (3.70 - 3.30)

The calculation of the mean grade occurs after “bumps,” if any, have been assigned.  There is no mandatory curve or distribution requirement.

Spring 2015

Legal Reasoning added to first year courses. Limited enrollment.