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Charleston School of Law Juris Doctor Program Catalog and Student Handbook 2023-2024

Academic Catalog and Handbook

Student Complaints About the Academic Program

Students with complaints about their academic experience are expected to discuss them with individual instructors. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's response, or unwilling to raise the matter in such fashion, the student should bring it to the attention of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Any student at the Charleston School of Law who wishes to bring a formal complaint should follow the process as set forth below. 

  1. Reporting a Formal Complaint

Any student who wishes to bring a formal complaint regarding the school’s program of legal education and its compliance with the American Bar Association's Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools should submit it in writing to the Associate Dean. The ABA Standards may be found on the website for the ABA. 

  1. The writing should describe in detail the behavior, program, process, or other matter that is the subject of the complaint, and should explain how the matter implicates the School of Law’s program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards. If no specific Standard is cited in the complaint, the Associate Dean shall determine if the alleged facts implicate a Standard, and if so, which one(s).
  2. The writing may consist of email, U.S. mail, or fax. 
  3. The writing must provide the name, official law school email address, and a street address of the complaining student, for further communication about the complaint. 

Once received, the Associate Dean will acknowledge the complaint within 5 business days of receipt of the written complaint. Acknowledgment may be made by email, U.S. mail, or by personal delivery, at the option of the Associate Dean.

  1. Resolving the Complaint

When a formal written complaint has been made in accordance with section 1, the Associate Dean shall investigate as soon as possible, but in no event later than 20 business days after the filing of the written complaint with the Associate Dean. The Associate Dean shall attempt to resolve the complaint, if possible, within the 20 business day period. 

The following procedures will apply:

  1. The Associate Dean shall either meet with the complaining student, or respond to the substance of the complaint in writing. 
  2. In this meeting or in this writing, the Associate Dean will submit to the student either a substantive response to the complaint, or information about what steps are being taken by the Law School to address the complaint or to further investigate the complaint. 
  3. If further investigation is needed, the Associate Dean will inform the student. When the investigation is completed, and within 2 weeks of this completion, the Associate Dean will submit to the student either a substantive response to the complaint or information about what steps are being taken by the Law School to address the complaint. 

  1. Appeal Process

If the student is dissatisfied with the outcome or resolution, that individual has the right to appeal the decision. The student should submit his/her written comments in a timely manner to the Dean of the School of Law, but in no case more than two weeks after communication to the student of the findings of the investigation. The Dean’s decision shall be communicated to the student and the Associate Dean within 20 business days. The Dean’s decision shall be final.

However, in the event that the student feels he or she has made a reasonable effort to obtain satisfaction but nonetheless failed to achieve it through the School of Law procedures set forth above, the student may file a written complaint with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, 1122 Lady Street, Suite 400, Columbia, SC, 29201, Telephone 803.737.2260, Fax 803.737.2297, www.che.sc.gov.  The procedures and guidelines for filing a complaint with the Commission are set out in detail in the CHE Student Complaint Procedures and Form appended below. 

  1. Maintaining a Written Record of the Complaint

The Charleston School of Law shall maintain a copy of student complaints submitted according to the law school's complaint policy or complaints that allege facts implicating the law school's compliance with the Standards even if a specific Standard is not cited in the complaint. The law school shall maintain a record of student complaints implicating the law school's compliance with the Standards submitted during the most recent accreditation period. The record shall include a summary of the process and resolution of the complaint. Written records shall be maintained in a confidential manner in the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of the Dean. 

  1. Protection Against Retaliation

The Charleston School of Law will not in any way retaliate against an individual who makes a complaint under this section, nor permit any faculty member, administrator, employee or student to do so.

  1. Not Exclusive Complaint Policy or Procedure

Please note that there are separate sections pertaining specifically to Sexual Harassment complaints and those complaints that may fall within the parameters of the Code of Student Conduct.  Jurisdiction over any student complaint is not exclusive to any single, or combination of, Law School Policies.  The Code of Conduct can be found on the Campus Policies and Procedures page. The Title IX Policy can also be located on that page.