Academic Policies and Procedures
1. Credit Hours
a. Calculation of Class Time for Credits
b. Out-of-Class Course Work for Classroom Courses
2. Registration
a. Procedures
b. Hold Policy
c. Failure to Register
3. Regular Add-Drop Period
4. Retroactive Petition for Exception to Policy
5. Non-Law School Credit
6. Transfer Students
7. Visiting Students
8. Leaves of Absence
9. Limit on Student Work Hours
10. Proof of Immunization
11. Class Attendance/Punctuality
12. Religious Observances and Excused Absences
13. E-Mail Communication
14. Policy Regarding the Audio or Video Recording of Classes
15. Class Syllabus
The College of Law’s academic calendar runs on a semester basis. Credit for coursework is awarded only in compliance with ABA standards (see ABA Standard 310).
a. Calculation of Class Time for Credits
For each credit hour awarded, there must be at least 42.5 hours of combined classroom / direct faculty instruction time and out-of-class coursework. This means that for each credit hour awarded, courses must have (i) a minimum of 750 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and (ii) 30 hours of out-of-class coursework, although for courses where a final examination is required of all students, the amount of direct faculty instruction classroom time may be reduced by up to 50 minutes per credit hour for each hour for which the final examination is scheduled.
It is the obligation of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and the Registrar, to ensure that classes are scheduled in accordance with ABA standards for the awarding of credit.
Whenever a new course is proposed, it is the obligation of the person or persons proposing the course to justify how the course will meet the 42.5 hours of combined classroom / direct faculty instruction time and out-of-class course work, in accordance with the guidelines specified above. The Curriculum Committee, which has jurisdiction to approve courses on an experimental basis and to make recommendations to the College Council for final approval of new courses, will not approve courses unless these instructional time and out-of-class course work time criteria are met. Nor shall the College Council approve courses unless those same criteria are met.
Because they are not scheduled for direct instructional time in the classroom, the following courses / academic activities will be awarded credit on the basis of a minimum of 50 hours of student work for each credit hour: directed research, co-curricular activities (e.g., law review and moot court), and the Externship Credit Course. Students seeking credit for work in any of these courses / academic activities must maintain and submit a record of their time devoted to their work. This record may include time spent reading, researching, writing, attending structured group study, meeting with supervising instructors, or working in an externship. The total amount of time recorded must meet a minimum of 50 hours for each hour of credit that is awarded.
b. Out-of-Class Course Work for Classroom Courses
Pursuant to ABA Standard 310, instructors must structure courses in a way that creates an expectation that students will engage in out-of-class coursework for a minimum of 30 hours for each 750 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction time (that is, 2 hours of out-of-class work for every 50 minutes of classroom or direct instructional time). Such work includes reading for class as well as any out-of-classroom time projects, assignments, quizzes, or exams.
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is responsible for implementing a system that ensures this expectation is being met for all classes.
2. Registration
a. Procedures
Current registration procedures, policies and deadlines will be included in the registration materials provided by the Registration Office for each semester. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the most current materials and comply with all registration, add-drop and tuition payment procedures and deadlines. If a student is registered for any given class and does not officially drop the class during the regular add-drop period, he or she is responsible for full tuition payment and assessed fees associated with the class regardless of failure to attend the class or pay tuition. If a student drops or withdraws from a class or from school after the add-drop period, he or she is responsible for paying applicable tuition and fees for the course(s).
Students may drop law courses without penalty or permission during the add-drop period. After this point, a student may withdraw from a course(s) without permission, but a “W” will be recorded on the permanent academic record, and applicable tuition and fees will be assessed. The deadline for withdrawing from law courses coincides with the deadline to withdraw from term-length classes as determined by the University Registrar.
Extra class sessions that exceed the per unit allocation system (except for make-up sessions) require notice to the Registrar and students before registration so that schedules can be arranged and, at least with respect to upper level courses, students can choose not to take courses with extra class hours.
College Council – April 16, 1986; March 19, 1997
Before an admitted student registers, or within a reasonable time thereafter, the law school shall have on file the student’s official transcript showing receipt of a bachelor’s degree and all academic work undertaken. “Official transcript” means a transcript certified by the issuing school to the admitting school or delivered to the admitting school in a sealed envelope with seal intact. A copy supplied the Law School Data Assembly Service is not an official transcript, even though it is adequate for preliminary determination of admission.
Standard 502-1—ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools
Faculty shall submit a class syllabus for posting on the Course Schedule page of the law school’s web site no later than the Thursday before the start of the semester.
College Council – March 20, 2012
b. Hold Policy
The University of Utah or the S.J. Quinney College of Law may impose a hold on a student’s record for a variety of reasons. These reasons are often the result of the student’s failure to comply with a mandatory law school or University requirement and may include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to have official transcripts from previous education on file with either the University or law school
- Failure to pay tuition
- Outstanding income accounting bills
- Failure to attend mandatory orientation meetings
- Lack of immunization records
- Library or parking fines
Consequences of a hold may include, but are not limited to:
- Inability to add/register for classes
- Inability to have scholarship or financial aid monies disbursed
- Loss of priority for classes
- Inability to receive bar certification letters and letters of good standing
- Issuance of grades, transcript, diploma, loan deferments
How to find out if you have a registration hold:
– Log into Campus Information Systems and click on “View Holds” under the heading “Student Records”. Students should check for holds before any registration period.
c. Failure to Register
Failure to register for and complete courses during any regular semester without prior approval from the Dean of Student Affairs will be deemed to be a voluntary withdrawal of the student from the law school, and any future enrollment in law courses will require approval from the Readmission Committee.
3. Regular Add-Drop Period
A student may add or drop classes without permission only during the regular add-drop period. After the add-drop period has run, a student may add classes only with the permission of the class professor and the Dean’s Office. If a student adds classes after this period, he or she is subject to late add fees. In deciding whether to permit a late add or drop, the class professor and the Dean’s Office may consider the need to encourage early planning, factors relating to the class, and their own convenience as well as factors relating to the individual student.
College Council – April 17, 1979
4. Retroactive Petition for Exception to Policy
Retroactive petitions are used for withdrawals and for adds and drops that happen after registration deadlines or after the classes for the semester are over. Retroactive petition forms can be obtained from the Registrar’s office.
The petition must be completed by the student stating the reasons for his or her request. If the College of Law approves the petition, the Registrar or dean of students will attach a memorandum verifying and supporting the petition on behalf of the student and submit it to the University. A copy of the petition will be maintained by the Registrar in the student’s file.
After the petition is either approved or denied by the University, the student must submit a copy of the letter of approval or denial to the College of Law Registrar.
5. Non-Law School Credit
a. Joint Degree Programs
The J.D credit granted for coursework completed outside the law school pursuant to a University-approved joint degree program shall be governed by the rules applicable to the joint degree program. See, e.g., the rules regarding the J.D.-MBA, J.D.-MPA, J.D.-MPP, and the J.D.-M.S.W. programs here.
b. J.D. Credit for Coursework Completed in a Parallel Graduate Degree Program. See Parallel Degrees
c. J.D. Credit for Coursework Completed in Graduate Courses Outside the Law School.
A student may receive up to six credits for courses completed outside the law school, provided:
i. The courses eligible for J.D. credit must be graduate level courses.
ii. The courses must be taken after the student has matriculated at the College of Law.
iii. The student must receive a grade of “B” or better in the courses, and such grades will not be computed as part of the student’s law school grade point average.
iv. The student must petition and receive prior approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before enrolling in the course for which J.D. credit is sought. The petition must demonstrate that each course the student has proposed for J.D. credit is relevant to the student’s legal education and career planning goals and is sufficiently rigorous to justify the granting of J.D. credit. The petition must further demonstrate that no comparable course is available in the law school curriculum.
d. Limits
Students may receive only six credits toward their J.D. degree for courses completed outside the law school unless they comply with section (a) or (b). In no event may a student receive more than twelve non-law school hours toward the J.D. degree. Nor may any student count graduate course credit earned outside the law school toward the minimum of 64 credits required for graduation from courses requiring attendance at regularly scheduled classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction.
College Council – March 28, 2017
For students who transfer to the S.J. Quinney College of Law (“the College of Law”) after successful completion of the first year at another law school (“initial institution”), credits will be transferred subject to the following limitations:
1. Credits may only be transferred from law schools or programs that are provisionally accredited or fully accredited by the American Bar Association.
2. The maximum number of transfer credits, including any law school credits earned at other institutions during the summer following the first year, shall not exceed the maximum number of required credits earned by the first year class at the College of Law for the preceding academic year.
3. For individual courses, students will be awarded the same number of credits as were awarded for that course at the initial institution (even where a different number of credits are awarded for the same course at the College of Law).
4. Grades earned for transfer credits will not be included in the student’s GPA calculation at the College of Law.
5. Transfer credits that were graded at the initial institution will not be included in the maximum number of ungraded credits a student may count toward graduation (18).
6. No transfer credits may be awarded for any course in which the student earned a grade lower than a C.
7. Transfer students shall be required to take any first-year course not completed at their initial institution as soon as practicable following their admission to the College of Law, and may not graduate until they complete all such courses. The associate dean for academic affairs shall have the discretion to determine whether any course completed at the student’s initial institution is equivalent to any course required for graduation at the College of Law, and if not, to determine what additional courses will be required prior to graduation to account for any deficiency.
College Council- January 29, 2009
7. Visiting Students
For S.J. Quinney College of Law (“the College of Law”) students who visit at another law school, credits will be transferred subject to the following limitations:
1. Visiting credits will only be accepted from law schools or programs that are provisionally accredited or fully accredited by the American Bar Association.
2. Absent extenuating circumstances and approval by the dean of students, the maximum number of visiting credits shall not exceed one third of the number of credits required for graduation at the College of Law.
3. For individual courses, students will be awarded the full number of credits as awarded at the visited institution.
4. Grades earned for visiting credits will not be included in the student’s GPA calculation at the College of Law.
5. Visiting credits that were graded at the visited institution will not be included in the maximum number of ungraded credits a student may count toward graduation (18).
6. No visiting credits may be awarded for any course in which the student earned a grade lower than a C.
7. Prior permission from the dean of students is required before a College of Law student may visit at another institution and all courses taken at the visited institution must be approved by the dean of students.
College Council – March 5,2009
8. Leaves of Absence
In appropriate circumstances, a student may petition the Dean of Student Affairs for a leave of absence from the law school for up to one year. Certain medical problems, family emergencies and responsibilities, economic hardships, and psychological considerations may constitute such appropriate circumstances. A student seeking a leave of absence shall complete a Petition for Leave of Absence and must meet with the Dean of Student Affairs to discuss the grounds for seeking the leave. The student may also be required to provide documentation substantiating his or her particular circumstances.
College Council – April 27, 2000
9. Limit on Student Work Hours
As a full-time law student, a student may not work more than twenty (20) hours per week during the academic year, including during any summer session in which a student is enrolled on a full-time basis.
Standard 304(f) – ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools
10. Proof of Immunization
The University requires proof of immunizations for all new or transfer students born after 1956 and enrolling after fall 1993 due to the resurgence of measles, mumps, and rubella infections on college campuses. Questions regarding compliance requirements may be directed to the Student Immunization Office, Student Health Service, University Wasatch Clinics, Level 1, 555 Foothill Blvd., Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, 585-6009.
11. Class Attendance/Punctuality
Consistent with ABA Standard 304, regular and punctual class attendance is required for all classes. An instructor may exclude a student from a course for lack of satisfactory attendance or nonperformance of assigned course work. If excluded, the student shall receive no grade or credit for the course. Attendance may be deemed unsatisfactory by the course instructor if a student is absent from 20% or more of the class or seminar sessions scheduled for the semester, including absences necessitated by illness or unavoidable conflicting curricular activities. The instructor may, provided that written notice is given to the students in the course syllabus, require a higher attendance standard for any class or seminar.
Each course shall include in its syllabus a written statement indicating how both absences and punctuality will be treated for grading purposes in the class. Such statements shall address (1) the level of attendance and punctuality required for the class, and (2) whether academic sanctions, including grade reduction or involuntary withdrawal from the class, may be imposed in accordance with the instructor’s attendance and punctuality expectations for the class. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will ensure that draft language addressing these concerns is made available to all instructors for inclusion in syllabi.
Each instructor will implement a system for monitoring both class attendance and punctuality, and keep records of such.
Instructors should make reasonable accommodation for absences or lateness necessitated by illness or unavoidable conflicting curricular activities, such as travel for moot court competitions or clinical program work when rescheduling would compromise obligations to a client.
If an instructor determines that a student has failed to attend 20% of the total class hours required for the semester or any higher stated attendance obligation, the instructor shall send written notice to the non-attending student to seek an explanation for their noncompliance with the attendance requirements. After such notice and absent a satisfactory explanation for non-attendance, the instructor shall take any of the following steps: (1) advise the student regarding compliance with the attendance requirements; (2) impose a grade sanction for non-attendance if contemplated in the syllabus; or (3) notify the student that they are being involuntarily withdrawn from the course.
An instructor invoking an academic sanction for non-attendance shall provide the Registrar and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs with copies of the course attendance requirements and copies of all written notices regarding attendance given to students. The instructor shall notify the Registrar and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs in writing of the exclusion of a student from a course for lack of satisfactory attendance or nonperformance of assigned course work. The Registrar shall provide the affected student(s) with written notice of involuntary withdrawal from a course.
College Council – March 28, 2017
Standard 305(c)- ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools
Nothing in this section shall preclude the office of the Dean from enforcing class attendance requirements or imposing appropriate sanctions if (1) an instructor chooses to delegate responsibility for attendance policy enforcement to the office of the Dean or (2) an instructor fails to enforce class attendance requirements.
College Council – November 16, 2000
12. Religious Observances and Excused Absences
Students absent from class to participate in officially sanctioned University activities (e.g., band, debate, student government, intercollegiate athletics) or religious obligations, or with instructor’s approval, shall be permitted to make up both assignments and examinations. The University expects its departments and programs that take students away from class meetings to schedule such events in a way that will minimize hindrance of the student’s orderly completion of course requirements. Such units must provide a written statement to that student describing the activity and stating as precisely as possible the dates of the required absence. The involved students must deliver this documentation to their instructors, preferably before the absence but in no event later than one week after the absence.
University of Utah Policy & Procedures Manual – May 13, 1996
Faculty Regulations, Chapter VII, Instructions and Evaluation, 9-7, Section 15
13. E-Mail Communication
E-mail is the official means of communication at the College of Law. Every student should have an e-mail account and should check it at least once a day. Students are deemed to have received notice if the information has been e-mailed.
14. Policy Regarding the Audio or Video Recording of Classes
Recording of classes at the College of Law may occur only with the permission of the faculty member teaching the course, consistent with the following considerations:
Faculty Responsibilities:
Faculty members should accommodate legitimate student requests to record a class to the extent consistent with educational goals and the notice and privacy interests of other students. Permission to record will be granted by each professor either by a blanket policy established in the syllabus or on a case-by-case basis. Faculty members are encouraged to include a recording policy statement in their syllabi and shall inform the class in advance when a class will be recorded. Unless the faculty member decides otherwise, the Information Technology Department will assist with the recording of classes. Students wishing not to be video-captured should be allowed to change seats.
Student Responsibilities:
When granted permission to record classes or given access to audio or video recordings produced by others a student may use such recordings solely for personal educational purposes. Unauthorized audio or video recording of classes, or unauthorized dissemination of such recordings in or through any medium, without the faculty member’s consent is forbidden. Failure to comply with this policy may be considered an honor code violation.
Recording Policies:
The Information Technology Department will accommodate requests for recording and will implement appropriate confidentiality and security methods to restrict unauthorized dissemination. Information Technology Department recordings should be password protected. Each such recording shall contain a disclaimer stating that the recording was made solely for educational purposes, that the views expressed in it are in furtherance of that purpose, and that no recording may be forwarded to anyone. Student access to all Information Technology Department recordings shall be terminated 30 days after the end of the semester.
15. Class Syllabus
Faculty shall submit a class syllabus for posting on the Course Schedule page of the law school’s web site no later than the Thursday before the start of the semester.