Appeals Procedure

Depending upon the nature and magnitude of the grievance, our graduate students have recourse to the following step-by-step procedure:

1. Bring the grievance to the attention of the academic adviser for the student's degree. The grievance can be informally presented as an oral complaint, which should be presented and answered within 30 days of the action that is the subject of the complaint or of the student's knowledge of such action. Alternatively, a formal complaint may be submitted in writing to the Head Graduate Adviser.

2. Seek resolution from the Head Graduate Adviser. A written complaint must be received by the Head Graduate Adviser within 30 days of the occurrence of the action provoking the complaint. The department should complete its investigation and notify the student of the outcome of the investigation within 60 days of receipt of the complaint. Alternatively, a formal complaint may be submitted in writing to the Grievance Committee.

3. Appeal to the department's Candidacy Review Committee, particularly in matters relating to candidacy, withdrawal from the University, or petition to change degree goal. The appeal should be presented and answered within 30 days of the Head Graduate Adviser's decision in step 2.

4. Request a joint decision from the Chairman and Vice Chairman, who have final authority. The request should be presented and answered within 30 days of the decision rendered in step 3.

5. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint under the department's procedure, the student may bring the complaint to the Graduate Appeals Procedure. The formal appeal must be received in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division within 15 days of the written notification of the result of the departmental decision.

6. The full Graduate Appeals Procedure (approved April 27, 1998) is available at the Graduate Division website.

In attributions of authorship of research carried out jointly by faculty and graduate students, the names of all major contributors will appear on the paper.

The Department of Chemical Engineering supports the University policy on sexual harassment. Please refer to the Berkeley Campus Title IX website, http://titleix.chance.berkeley.edu/. You are reminded that virtually any sexually-oriented language, conduct, or behavior can be viewed as sexual harassment if it is unwelcome. Remember, it is the impact of the conduct or behavior on the recipient (or on observers) not the intent of the harasser that determines findings of sexual harassment.