NOTICE:
Pacific West College of Law no longer accepts applications.
1993 through April 17, 2023
For a complete list of law schools in California, visit www.calbar.ca.gov
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PACIFIC WEST COLLEGE OF LAW
2011 West Chapman Ave.
Orange, CA 92868
Tel. (714) 634-3738
Fax: (714 634-2283
Website: www.pacificwestcollege.com
Email: [email protected]
"Excellence through knowledge, Achievement through Commitment"
PETITION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Students are allowed to obtain copy of their final examination answers. Students have the right to petition for a review of their grade by following the petition procedures set forth below.
Petition Procedures
Student Request and Petition Forms has been devised a convenient medium to effect communication between the student and the administration and to receive a reply when appropriate. Petition forms are available at the Admission Office. Each petition must clearly and concisely set forth what is sought, the reasons therefore, and such supporting information or documentation as is required.
Written Petition
While any grievance may be communicated to the Dean and Administrations informally, all petitions MUST be done in WRITING. Any non-written petition will NOT be accommodated.
All Academic Related Petitions
All academic related petitions must be addressed to the Deans of Academics for initial review and such written petition must be endorsed and forwarded to the Grade Review Committee for action and adjudication.
Faculty Grade Review Committee
The Faculty must form and maintain a Grade Review Committee which will be responsible to determine if changes in grades are warranted when requested by Students.
Composition of the Grade Review Committee
The Committee shall originally consist of 3 members who will reach a consensus as to what the grade should be. The Dean of Academics will be the chair of the Committee and the Faculty president will be an automatic member of the Committee, the 3rd member of the Committee shall be chosen routinely from the lists of faculties. Any member of the Committee who has a direct conflict of interest or direct tie with the petitioning student MUST recluse him or herself from participating. In the event of a reclusion, another faculty member shall be chosen in order in render an adjudication on the matter.
Extent and Scope of Grade Review Committee’s Adjudication
The Grade Review Committee shall have the option to raise, lower or leave the grade as it was originally assigned and if a signed memorandum from a faculty as to why the grade should be change shall be considered for evaluation purposes provided that the reason stated are academically plausible and justifiable, provided further that a conflict of interest is not present. The Grade Review Committee shall review the grades with a standard similar to the grading style of the California Committee of Bar Examiners.
Communication of the Grade Review Committee’s Finding or Adjudication
The Grade Review Committee shall inform the Student and the Professor of its findings and shall make recommendations to the Professor regarding future grading. The Grade Review Committee shall deny any petition which does not state with specificity what the basis of the grade change is. The burden is upon the student to make the necessary showing that a grade change is warranted.
All Non-Academic Related Petition
All academic and administrative related petitions must be addressed to the Deans of the College for action, review and adjudication. All non-academic related petitions MUST be approved by the Dean of the College.
ACADEMIC RELATED PETITIONS
Student has the right to petition for a reread of his/her final examination answer(s). A student who wish to file a written petition for re-read MUST concurrently file a WRITTEN petition for grade review.
Petition for Re-read of Final Examination Bluebooks
Students have the right to petition for a reread of their examination answer(s). Students are allowed to obtain copies of their class exams and answers and copies of their graded final exam bluebooks. There is NO automatic re-read. Any student who wish have his or her graded final examination bluebook(s) re-read MUST file a written petition for re-read. Upon filing a petition for re-read the following must be met:
1. Students MUST submit a formal written petition to the grade review committee for a re-read of their examination papers. Non written petition will NOT be accommodated.
2. The petition shall state specifically where the student feels in his or her exam a change is warranted because of a harmful error.
3. The grounds for said petition shall be for (1) unfairness (2) a departure from the established grading policy and/or (3) a clearly shown mistake.
The burden is upon the student to make the necessary showing that a grade change is warranted and must present credible evidence to support such a claim. The failure of the student to state with specificity shall allow the committee to deny the request.
The Grade Review Committee shall have the option to raise, lower or leave the grade as it was originally assigned. The Grade Review Committee shall review the grades with a standard similar to the grading style of the California Committee of Bar Examiners.
The Grade Review Committee shall inform the student of its findings.
Note that Resubmission of Petition will NOT be authorized.
Student request for Grade Consultation
Students may request to meet with Faculty concerning the grade awarded in an exam or course. Faculty is encouraged to make whatever time is necessary for such a meeting. If a student wanted to petition for such grade, the student MUST file a written petition address to the Dean of Academics, such petition then will be reviewed and forwarded to the Faculty grade review committee. In the event that (within the faculty member believes that the grade should be adjusted upwards then the Professor shall prepare a written and duly signed memorandum stating the reason as to why such grade should be change upward and the same memorandum from the professor shall be attach to the student's written petition for a grade review to the Faculty grade review committee.
Petition for Grade Review
Students who filed a written petition for re-read MUST CONCURRENTLY file a written petition for a grade review.
The petition shall state specifically where the student feels in his or her exam a change is warranted. The grounds for said petition shall be for (1) unfairness (2) a departure from established grading policy and/or (3) a clearly shown mistake.
The burden is upon the student to make the necessary showing that a grade change is warranted and must present credible evidence in support of such claim. The failure of the student to state with specificity shall allow the Committee to deny the request. The Grade Review Committee shall have the option to raise, lower or leave the grade as it was originally assigned. The Grade Change Committee shall review the grades with a standard similar to the grading style of the California Committee of bar Examiners.
The Grade Change Committee shall inform the Student of its findings.
NON-ACADEMIC RELATED PETITION
Petition for Exam Accommodation
If a student wish to have a testing accommodation due to medical reason. A student MUST file a written petition for exam accommodation based upon a medical necessity or disability.
The information the student must provide to the college are as follows:
a. Student name
b. Medical reason and/or disability
c. Supporting Documents such as medical report (include all prior accommodations and medical reports from other schools)
d. Type of accommodation requested
Important Matters Relating to Petition for Accommodation by a student
1. Student by submitting this petition releases and agrees that the staff and faculty of Pacific West College of Law may have access to medical and personal information of the student.
2. It is the intent of Pacific west college of Law to make a reasonable and fair accommodation in the testing environment for a student with a valid and verifiable medical necessity and/or disability.
3. A grant of accommodation is for one exam period and will not be for consecutive exam periods without the written consent of a Dean of the College and without demonstration that a continued testing accommodation is necessary such as the circumstance that the student is seeking for testing accommodation had been improved that is if a student had a physical injury and such injury had been treated and no longer exists.
4. A grant of accommodation by Pacific West College of Law has no bearing or binding effect on the California Committee of Bar Examiners.
If a student petitions for testing accommodation at PWCL and such student was previously granted a testing accommodation by the Committee of Bar Examiners, the student must furnish such approval from the Committee of Bar Examiner to Pacific West together with the supporting documents and the petition for testing accommodation addressed to the Dean of the College. PWCL then, will try its best effort to MIMIC the testing accommodation given to a student, provided however, that at the time a student petitions for a testing accommodation the basis for such testing accommodation that led the Committee of Bar Examiner to adjudicate an approval is still in existence meaning the situation or condition of the student did NOT change.
5. This petition must be submitted within 45 days of the exam period affected. Students should make an accommodation request with the California Committee of Bar Examiners at the beginning of their last year of law school.