Any graduate student with a grievance regarding improper treatment by the graduate mentor or any other faculty member should seek to resolve the grievance within the academic unit of study. If the grievance is not resolved locally, it should be pursued through the procedures of the school or college or brought before the Dean of the school or college within which the academic unit resides.
If the graduate student wishes to appeal the decision of the school or college, the appeal may be taken to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School shall have the authority to investigate all relevant aspects of the grievance with the objective of seeking fair resolution of the grievance. If the findings or recommendations of the Dean of the Graduate School are not agreeable to the Dean of the school or college, then the grievance will be referred to the Provost, who will make a final decision.
The authority of the Dean of the Graduate School extends to investigations of compliance with rules and procedures, and shall include authority to investigate allegations of misconduct or inappropriate treatment of students, but shall not extend to matters of academic assessment. The Graduate School is not an appropriate venue for review of decisions made by the Office of Academic Integrity or through the student judicial process.