School of Theology Catalog 2021

Due Process and Grievances
in Academic Matters:
Students with complaints in academic matters
may appeal to have the complaint thoroughly
reviewed and a judgment made according to
the following 3-stage procedures for academic
due process. In Stage 1, the student
consults with the faculty member involved.
In most cases, the student and the faculty
member should resolve the complaint on this
level. In Stage 2, if no resolution has been
achieved in Stage 1, the student may bring
the complaint to the Dean of the School of
Theology (or the Vice Rector if the Dean is
the faculty member in question). The Dean
consults both with the student and the faculty
member to reach a solution. In Stage 3, if no
resolution has been achieved in Stage 1 or
Stage 2, the student may prepare a written
brief requesting the convening of an ad hoc
Appeals Committee to hear the case. The
Committee shall consist of the following five
persons: the Dean as Chair (or if the faculty
member in question is the Dean, then the
Vice Rector is to act as Chair); two faculty
members appointed by the Chair; two students
from the elected members of the
Student Government appointed by the
Student Body President. (If the student
involved is the Student Body President, the
two students shall be appointed by the fourthyear
class President.)
The Appeals Committee, after hearing the
testimony of both parties and after its own
deliberation, presents its opinion based on a
majority vote to the student and the faculty
member. If the issue is a course grade and if
the Committee's opinion is that the grade is
unfair, the power of the Committee is to recommend
to the faculty member that the
grade be changed to another letter grade or to
Pass. The faculty member makes the final
decision. If the faculty member does not
accept the ad hoc Committee's recommendation
to change the grade, then a summary of
the Committee's deliberation and vote, along
with the faculty member's reason(s) for nonconcurrence,
will be placed in the student's
permanent file.
Examinations:
Final examinations are scheduled at the end
of each term. No final examinations, written
or oral, are to be given until after all scheduled
classes are completed. No examinations
may be scheduled during other house activities
(e.g., liturgy, conferences, faculty meetings,
reading day, etc.). If a professor judges
that an examination was legitimately missed,
arrangements for makeup examinations are
made with the individual student.
Financial Policies and
Procedures:
Resident and non-resident seminarians make
their own financial arrangements with their
respective dioceses or religious communities.
A listing of academic fees and charges is published
yearly. Payment is expected before the
first class day of each semester. Alternative
arrangements may be made with the Vice
President of Finance. No student will be
allowed to register for further classes until
previous financial obligations have been satisfied.
Financial accounts are to be settled
before graduation. Transcripts and conferral
of degrees will be withheld in case of default
of payment. Fees are not refundable, but
tuition and other charges are refundable in
decreasing percentages up to the seventh
week of the semester.
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