Academic Policies and Procedures
The Bloustein School’s general information and academic policies and procedures are listed in the current undergraduate catalog. Course listings are subject to change. Please contact your advisor for current information.
Academic Standing (Direct Admit Students)
Dean’s List
Each term, outstanding students are honored by inclusion on the Dean’s List. In order to qualify, the student must meet the following requirements at the time the Dean’s List is prepared: a) be matriculated, b) have passed 6 or more degree credits with letter grades (Pass/No Credit and E credits are excluded), and c) have attained a term grade-point average of 3.500 or above.
Academic Review
The Committee on Scholastic Standing, in concert with administrators and appointed faculty fellows of the undergraduate professional school, reviews the records of all direct admit students at the end of each academic term.
Probation and Dismissal
Students whose cumulative grade-point average is less than 2.000 at the end of an academic term may be placed on probation and may continue under limitations specified by the Committee on Scholastic Standing.
The student will receive written notification of probationary status within four weeks of the term grade report. Students on probation who have not raised their cumulative grade-point average to 2.000 at the end of the academic term will ordinarily be dismissed. Students whose cumulative grade-point average is less than 1.200 at the end of any academic term will be dismissed without necessarily being placed on academic probation first.
A student dismissed from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is not considered for readmission to the school unless the former student has completed at least 12 credits at another accredited college or university and/or the Rutgers University Summer Session with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 or better and at least one term, not including summer session, has elapsed since the date of the student’s dismissal.
Appeal
Probationary status may not be appealed, although students may request a review of the limitations imposed by the committee if those limitations appear inappropriate for the individual’s circumstances. A request for review may be made at any time during the probationary period and should be made to the undergraduate professional schools’ Office of Academic Student Services.
Students dismissed from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy by the Committee on Scholastic Standing may appeal to the Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Services of the school within twenty calendar days after the date of the dismissal notice. Grounds for appeal include technical error, extenuating circumstances, additional information not previously available to the committee, and/or other factors the student considers appropriate to support his or her challenge of the dismissal decision. Students must present their appeal in writing.
Letters of appeal must state the reasons for appeal and, when possible, should be accompanied by appropriate documentation. The letter must be written exclusively by the student, although advice in formulating the appeal may be sought from a faculty advisor or academic counselor. Appeals are reviewed by the Committee on Scholastic Standing. Written notice of the appeal decision is sent to the student at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the next term. The decision of the committee is final.
Withdrawal from Courses
Students may request withdrawal from courses at any time up to, but not including, the last two weeks of instruction in the term. Terminating class attendance does not constitute withdrawal from courses. Students can withdraw from individual courses on their own, but must contact the dean’s office to withdraw fully from all classes. A student must refer to the student services online forms to complete, in writing, their intention to withdraw.
See the University Policies and Procedures section for details of the drop/add policy. Withdrawal from a class may have implications for housing, financial aid and other student services. Therefore, withdrawal should always be discussed with an academic advisor before action is taken.
Grade Appeal Process
Student complaints about grades in any courses offered by the school are treated by the process outlined in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Bloustein School Catalog. It reads as follows:
Students wishing to file a complaint about a course grade, or a grade received for a particular piece of work in a course, should first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion or writing with the instructor of that course (her/his preference) no later than two weeks after notification of the grade. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved between student and instructor, the student may specify in writing the basis for the complaint and request a review by the appropriate program director. A written complaint about a grade for work completed while the course is in progress must be submitted to the programs director, Dr. Marc Weiner (mdweiner@ejb.rutgers.edu), no later than two weeks after final determination by the instructor. A student must submit a written complaint about a final course grade to the program director no later than four weeks after final determination by the instructor.
A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the program director should appeal once again in writing to the office of the dean, through the Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Services. Students should be directed to address that written appeal to Stephen Weston, Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Services, Bloustein School Deans Office, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, CAC. Email is preferred at sdweston@rutgers.edu.
Written notification of the action taken by either the program director or by the assistant dean will be sent to the student no later than four weeks of the filing of the appeal, excluding those weeks in which classes are not in regular session. With reference to the actions above, the program director or assistant dean may consult with other faculty, directors, etc., that may be relevant to a student’s complaint.
Students who contact the Dean’s office without following the above procedure will be referred back to the instructor or program, in order to preserve the integrity of the process and an independent student appeal review. Some things to keep in mind when appealing your grade with the instructor, director or dean include:
- Watch grade appeal timeframes; being busy is not a legitimate excuse.
- Raise issues when they happen, not at the end of the term.
- Stick to the facts of the situation; discuss formally your appeal and keep it professional.
- Avoid emotional language and personal attacks.
- When asking for a second chance, admit where you have been culpable.
- Mentioning your grades in your other classes is not relevant.
- Be leery of end of semester/year grade appeals as they impact graduation deadlines.
For questions about the grade appeal process, students, faculty and/or others are encouraged to speak to their instructor, program director or the assistant dean of the school for clarification.