1. Day Division

No Day Division student may register for more than 15 credits or less than 12 credits in any one semester, or register for credits which result in more than 30 credits or less than 27 credits in any one year without prior approval of an Associate Dean [Revised 4/17/08].

2. Evening Division

No Evening Division student may register for more than 12 credits or less than 9 credits in any one semester, or register for credits which result in more than 24 credits or less than 21 credits (20 credits during first year) in any one year without prior approval of an Associate Dean.

1. Each student is expected to perform all class assignments and to attend class meetings regularly. Failure to do so may result in exclusion from an examination, which may result in a grade of No Credit, F, probation, suspension or dismissal.

2. In any course in which an instructor becomes aware that a student has been absent without excuse for more than the Applicable Absence Limitation, the instructor of that course shall notify the associate deans. The associate deans, in light of applicable circumstances and upon consultation with the reporting instructor, shall determine whether to require that student to withdraw from the course or whether to exclude that student from the course and to award that student a grade of F for the course. With respect to any course, the term "Applicable Absence Limitation" shall mean a number of hours equal to the number of semester hours of credit to be awarded for the course multiplied by two. Class meetings during the add/drop period shall be disregarded in determining whether a student has exceeded the Applicable Absence Limitation. Each instructor is entitled to excuse absences upon good cause. The dean of students may make a determination that, on account of extraordinary circumstances affecting an extended period of time, a student shall be excused for a specified period of time from all of that student's classes. [05/22/97]

3. A student must take the courses and examinations for the section in which he or she is enrolled.

1. First-year day and evening students/Second-year evening students

The provisions of this section 1 apply to (a) day and evening students in the first year of law school as of the academic year commencing August 2003 and thereafter and (b) evening students in the second year of law school as of the academic year commencing August 2004 and thereafter.

(All other students are subject to the provisions of section 2 - Upperclass Students)

(a) Dismissal without Review by the Academic Standing Committee

At the end of the academic year, a student is not in good academic standing and will be dismissed from the law school if either of the following applies:

(i) the student has a grade point average of less than 2.00 for that academic year, or

(ii) the student has unsatisfactory grades in three or more courses for that academic year.

The dismissal is final, and there is no appeal of the dismissal. The academic performance and individual circumstances of students who are dismissed pursuant to this section are not subject to review by the Academic Standing Committee.

A student who has been dismissed pursuant to this section may apply for readmission to the law school no sooner than March 1 of the calendar year following the dismissal. If the student is readmitted, the student may enroll no sooner than two semesters following the academic dismissal. Terms and conditions for readmission may be imposed. [Revised 04/22/04]

(b) Academic Standing Committee Review

The Academic Standing Committee will review a student who has unsatisfactory grades in two courses for that academic year and has a grade point average for that academic year ranging from 2.00 to below 2.33. Such a student is not in good academic standing. In extraordinary circumstances, the Committee may vote to allow the student to continue on academic probation and Academic Warning. The Committee will not allow the student to continue unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the student is likely to succeed in the study of law. The Committee will determine the conditions and duration of any probation. If the Committee votes to dismiss the student, that dismissal is final and unappealable.

A student who has been dismissed by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of this section may apply to the law school for readmission no sooner than 12 calendar months from the effective date of dismissal. If the student is readmitted, the student may not enroll before 24 calendar months have elapsed since the effective date of dismissal. The law school may impose terms and conditions for readmission. When the Academic Standing Committee dismisses a student, the Committee may modify the readmission time restrictions for that student, as it deems fit. [Revised 04/22/04]

(c) Academic Warning

In addition to those students who are placed on Academic Warning pursuant to section (b) above, the following students will also be placed on Academic Warning, but without review by the Academic Standing Committee:

(1) any student with a grade point average, for that academic year, ranging from 2.0 to below 2.33; or

(2) any student who has two unsatisfactory grades for that academic year, regardless of the student's grade point average.

Students who are placed on Academic Warning are subject to the following graduation requirements:

(i) Academic Support. They must enroll in the Academic Support Program and in bar preparation courses and tutoring sessions as determined by the Associate Deans.

(ii) Required Courses. They are required to enroll in, and earn a grade higher than F in, the following courses: (1) Evidence, (2) Wills, (3) either Corporations or Agency and Partnership, (4) either Commercial Law Survey, Commercial Paper, Sales and Leases, or Secured Transactions, (5) Constitutional Law/Criminal Procedure or Criminal Procedure, (6) Trusts, and (7) Massachusetts Practice, if the student intends to take the Massachusetts bar examination. These courses may be taken at any time prior to graduation and they serve as a substitute for the Base Menu requirements that are applicable to students who are not on Academic Warning.

(iii) Course Guidance and Curriculum Review. Students are strongly urged to take advanced courses that serve to reinforce first-year courses in which they received unsatisfactory grades. Such courses may include advanced legal writing courses and such other courses as may be designated as appropriate by the Law Faculty.

Students on Academic Warning remain subject to all other graduation requirements, including completion of the course in Professional Responsibility and satisfaction of the Legal Writing Requirement and the Practical Skills Requirement.

2. Upperclass students

a. An upperclass student is not in good academic standing if his or her grade point average for any semester falls below 2.00 or if he or she receives final grades below C in more than one course in any semester.

b. An upperclass student who is not in good academic standing after a semester, but who does not fall within paragraph (3)(c), shall be placed on probation for the following semester. The student shall continue on probation as long as his or her cumulative average remains below 2.00.

c. An upperclass student whose cumulative average for the semester is no greater than 1.67 or who receives final grades below C in three or more courses will be dismissed. In extraordinary circumstances, the Academic Standing Committee may vote to allow the student to continue on probation. The committee shall not allow the student to continue on probation unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the student is likely to succeed in the study of law.

d. An upperclass student whose grade point average for the semester falls below 2.00 or receives final grades below C in more than one course while on probation will be dismissed. In extraordinary circumstances, the Academic Standing Committee may vote to allow the student to continue on probation. The committee shall not allow the student to continue on probation unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the student is likely to succeed in the study of law.

e. If a student who is not on probation but has been on probation previously and is not in good academic standing for a semester, he or she shall come before the Academic Standing Committee, which shall determine, based on the student's overall academic record and the reasons for the failure to maintain good academic standing, whether or not the student shall be dismissed or continue on probation.

f. Any student who fails to achieve good academic standing for the relevant year or semester three times will be dismissed, unless at least five members of the Academic Standing Committee vote that the student be allowed to continue on probation. (For example, a student would fall into this category if his or her grades for the first year were below the standards for good standing, his or her grades for the second semester of the second year were below the standards for good standing, and his or her grades for the first semester of the third year were below the standards for good standing). In the event the student is allowed to continue, the Academic Standing Committee shall set the conditions of such probation.

3. Academic Standing Committee

a. Petitions for permission to continue will be considered by the Academic Standing Committee, consisting of six faculty members and an associate dean. The associate dean, who shall be a member of the Law School faculty, shall serve as chair of the committee, and shall only vote in the case of a tie. Members will serve for three years. Two faculty members will be replaced each year to provide continuity.

b. The student shall be afforded an opportunity to submit a petition in writing to the committee and to be heard before the committee prior to its decision. Full documentation of the circumstances must accompany the petition. If such reasons involve physical or psychological incapacity before or during examinations, full documentation of the problem from a treating professional must accompany the petition.

c. If the committee allows a student to continue on probation, it may impose conditions, including but not limited to repeating a course, periodic meetings with a faculty advisor, an assistance program prescribed by the committee, limitations on employment or extracurricular activities or taking a semester or years leave prior to continuing.

The decision of the Academic Standing Committee is final. There is no appeal of its decision.

4. General Provisions

a. No student may graduate with final grades below C in more than three courses or with an average below 2.00.

b. A student, whether or not in good academic standing, shall be required to repeat any required course in which he or she receives a grade of F. Both the original grade of F and the grade received upon repetition of the course shall be included in the student's grade point average. For purposes of this Regulation II(C)(5)(b), the term "required course" shall mean all first year courses, including for evening students Constitutional Law and Property although offered in the second year. For purposes of this Regulation II(C)(5)(b) the term "required course" shall also include Trusts and Professional Responsibility, but only if those courses are completed in the fall 1997 semester or later. For purposes of this Regulation II(C)(5)(b) the term "required course" does not include Base Menu courses. A Base Menu course completed in the fall 1997 semester or later in which a student receives a grade of F may not be counted in satisfaction of the Base Menu Requirement. For purposes of this Regulation II(C)(5)(b), the reexamination procedure prescribed by Regulation III(F) has no effect.

c. An upperclass student taking a reduced program shall not be in good academic standing if his or her grade point average for the semester falls below 2.00 or if he or she receives grades below C in more than 30% of the total credit hours carried. A first-year student taking a reduced program shall not be in good academic standing if his or her grade point average for the first year falls below 2.00 or if he or she receives grades below C in more than 30% of the total credit hours carried.

d. For purposes of determining a student's academic standing, a grade of No Credit shall be equivalent to an F.

e. Any day student who is taking more than three first-year courses shall be considered a first-year student for purposes of determining academic standing. Any evening student who is taking more than two first-year courses (including Constitutional Law or Property Law) shall be treated as a first-year student for purposes of determining academic standing.

f. If a course description specifies a course to be a prerequisite for registration, a student shall not be treated as having satisfied the prerequisite if the student receives a grade of F with respect to the prerequisite course. However, a student in good academic standing may satisfy a prerequisite by means of the reexamination procedure prescribed by Regulation III(F).

Any student whose weighted average is 3.00 or above for any academic year is eligible for the Dean's List.

A student who has complied with all requirements for the degree of Juris Doctor, and whose scholastic achievements, in the judgment of the faculty, have been outstanding, will be recommended for the degree with honors. The graduating student with the highest cumulative average in the day and evening divisions will be awarded the degree summa cum laude; the Faculty may in its discretion also award the graduation honors summa cum laude to additional students.

Honors will be determined as follows:

• Summa Cum Laude: First student in each division and any student with a cumulative avg. over 3.67
  
  
• Magna Cum Laude: Students in top 5 percent in each division but below the standards for Summa Cum Laude
  
  
• Cum Laude: Students in top 25 percent in each division but below the standards for Magna Cum Laude
  
  
• For the purposes of determining honors, the January and May graduates of the same calendar year will be considered the graduating class. Honor determinations for September graduates will be based on the honor determinations made in the preceding May of the same calendar year.

1. Any violation of academic integrity shall be viewed as a serious infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the Law School. Violations of academic integrity shall include, but are not limited to, dishonesty in the examination process and plagiarism in written work. Plagiarism is the representation of the language, ideas or format of another as one's own in any writing submitted for academic purposes.

2. Use of the work of another without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism whether or not the writer acts with intent to mislead or deceive. However, such intent, or the lack of it, may be considered in determining the proper sanction if a violation is established.

3. It is not permissible to paraphrase more than a few words of the work of another. Any idea which is paraphrased from the work of another must be properly acknowledged. It is impermissible to use quotations from sources, even with acknowledgment, unless the quotation is placed in quotation marks and acknowledgment is given to the specific page or pages where the quoted material is found.

4. It is also impermissible to copy substantial parts of the sentence structure, paragraph structure, or organizational format of the work of another, even if some words or ideas are changed from the original. Such borrowing is impermissible even if citations to the source are included in the text. A general citation of a source, without quotation, is not sufficient to acknowledge the borrowing of the words or intellectual structure of another's work. Such citations indicate that the source supports the idea in the citing text, not that the words or structure of the cited work are used. Quotations must be given verbatim and indented or placed in quotation marks.

5. No student may submit the same written work, or substantially the same paper, in satisfaction of more than one academic requirement. If, in unusual circumstances, a student is authorized to submit the same work, or parts of the same work, in satisfaction of more than one requirement, written consent of all persons to whom the work is to be submitted must be obtained in advance, and retained by the student and all persons to whom the writing is submitted. It is permissible, with the consent of the professor, to use a paper submitted for course credit to satisfy the writing requirement as well.

6. It is a violation of this regulation to provide any written work to another student, with the knowledge that it will be submitted as his or her original work in satisfaction of any course requirement or for any other school-related purpose.

7. Academic credit may be withheld for any work which violates this regulation. Academic credit awarded for work which is later discovered to have been submitted in violation of this regulation may be withdrawn. A degree awarded in part on the basis of such course credit may be revoked.

8. The presumptive sanction for a deliberate act of plagiarism is suspension or dismissal from the Law School.

9. This regulation applies to all work submitted by a student for any course or school-related activity. This includes not only course papers and examinations but also written work for the law reviews, moot court competitions and similar law school-related activities. Where original work is expected, the regulation applies to drafts as well as final submissions. The regulation does not apply to those unusual situations in which the student is not expected to submit original work. For example, it might not apply to drafting pleadings in a clinical setting.

10. Students are responsible for compliance with these requirements. A student who has any doubt about the propriety of his or her use of sources, or as to whether the work is expected to be original work, should consult with the relevant professor or supervisor before or at the time of submission of the work in question.

11. By submitting any written work for academic credit or for any school-related purpose, the student represents that the work submitted complies with the provisions of these regulations.

1. No more than 12 credits from clinical programs may be counted toward the degree.

2. No student may receive more than two units of credit in a semester for ungraded activities other than regularly scheduled courses or clinical programs. Examples of ungraded activities to which this subsection applies include directed study, Law Review, Moot Court, a Moot Court team, research assistant, Transnational Law Review and the Journal of High Technology Law.

[Example: It is permissible to take a clinical program for 5 credits and receive 2 additional credits for a research assistantship or other ungraded activity in the same semester. It is not permissible to get 2 credits for a research assistantship and 2 additional credits for being on a Law Review in a single semester.][5/19/95]

3. The placement credits of internship programs and all other ungraded activities for academic credit shall be graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. For all purposes under these Regulations, the grade of Credit shall be a satisfactory grade, and the grade of No Credit shall be the equivalent of a grade of F.

4. The instructor in any non-anonymously graded course may elect to grade the course on an Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis. Such grades will not be calculated into a student's cumulative average. An instructor must notify the students at the first meeting of the course if the instructor elects the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis of grading. Prospective students in a clinical course will be notified at the time of application if the instructor intends to utilize the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis of grading. For all purposes under these Regulations, the grades of Honors, Pass, and Low Pass shall be satisfactory grades, and the grade of Fail shall be the equivalent of a grade of F.

To meet the writing requirement a student must, at any time before graduating, complete a substantial piece of legal writing demonstrating both proficiency in writing skills and mastery of subject matter.

This requirement may be met only in one of the following ways:

1. By writing a paper under close supervision or oversight by a member of the full-time faculty, certified by the faculty member as meeting the standards of this requirement. For example, a paper written for a course or seminar, or work as a research assistant to a full-time faculty member may qualify under this subsection. (If in the judgment of the overseeing faculty member, two or more pieces of written work cumulatively are the equivalent of a substantial piece of legal writing, they may qualify).

2. If the student is a member of the Journal of High Technology, Law Review, or Transnational Law Review, the student must submit a form of writing that has been approved by that publication's Faculty Advisor(s) and the Associate Deans (e.g., the Advisor(s) and Associate Deans may determine that Case Comments, Notes, Surveys, etc. are appropriate forms of writing for satisfaction of the Legal Writing Requirement). The submitted writing must be accepted for publication or certified by the Board of Editors as of publishable quality.

3. If the student is not a member of the Law Review, by writing a case comment selected through the summer author competition and accepted for publication in the Law Review.

4. If the student is a member of the Moot Court Board, by completing a bench memorandum, brief, or other writing under close supervision or oversight by a full-time faculty member and certified by the faculty member or the faculty advisor to the Moot Court Board as meeting the standards of this requirement. Other writing may include a writing for the Moot Court Journal, if it is accepted for publication in the Journal, or certified by the Board of Editors as of publishable quality, and otherwise meets the standards of this requirement.

5. By writing a brief for any interscholastic moot court competition, participation in which is sanctioned by the Law School, which brief is to be regarded as a draft and revised, following its submission to the competition, under close supervision or oversight by a member of the full-time faculty, in a manner consistent with the requirement of the applicable competition, and certified by the faculty member as meeting the standards of this requirement.

6. By submitting a paper to a member of the adjunct faculty in a course or seminar, with the approval of an associate dean and certified by the adjunct faculty member as meeting the standards of this requirement.

For purposes of this requirement the following words have the following meanings:

1. (a) "Substantial" means a writing ordinarily of not less than 4,000 words, consisting of not less than 20 typewritten pages of double space text exclusive of footnotes and bibliography. The inclusion of footnotes is assumed in any qualified legal writing except bench memoranda and briefs.
(b) "Proficiency" means, at a minimum, an ability to produce a well-organized writing which clearly, simply, forcefully, precisely and concisely communicates the ideas sought to be communicated. "Proficiency" also connotes a mastery of word usage, paragraph development, and transitions.

2. Before certifying a writing as meeting the standards of this requirement, the quality of the writing, its originality, the effectiveness of the research, and the accuracy of statements and citations are to be considered. Unless otherwise instructed by the professor, the student's citations must conform to those in Uniform System of Citation.

3. "Member of the full-time faculty" or "full-time faculty member" includes Legal Practice Skills Instructors.

4. A writing that is in whole or in part a product of plagiarism does not meet the standards of this requirement. See Regulation II (F). [5/19/95]

5. Each student must file with the registrar a notice of the way in which the requirement will be satisfied. This notice must be filed no later than the beginning of the student's final year in law school. Forms for this purpose are available at the Registrar's Office.

During the first week of classes a student who has registered for an elective course or courses may add or drop the course or courses. Course changes are not allowed before the first day of classes or after the close of the designated add/drop period, except with the permission of an Associate Dean. Failure to withdraw within the add/drop period may result in a grade of No Credit (F).

Any paper or other project required for a final grade in a course must be submitted no later than the end of the examination period for the semester in which the course is taken. If, for compelling reasons, the instructor allows an extension of time to complete the paper or project, the extension may be for a period no longer than 90 days from the end of the examination period. No further extension may be granted. During any extension, the course grade will be recorded temporarily as "Incomplete." However, if by the end of the examination period or extension the paper or project has not been submitted, a grade of NO CREDIT (F) will be recorded.

Special programs of study, including reduced course loads, not prescribed by the faculty must be approved in advance of registration by an associate dean.

A regular student who by adding or dropping courses does not take a normal course load during any academic year may be reclassified as a special student for annual tuition payment purposes. In no event will the total tuition cost of the Juris Doctor degree for a special student be less than that for a regular student. A student taking ten (10) credit hours or more per semester in the Day Division or seven (7) credit hours or more in the Evening Division per semester is a regular student for purposes of tuition.

A first year student receiving fewer than twenty-five credit hours in the day division or fewer than 16 credit hours in the evening division will not receive a class rank. Without a class rank a student may not be eligible for certain honors including but not limited to some scholarships and honor board competitions.

Any student in good standing, with the prior approval of the dean of students, may enroll in and receive credit for an elective course or courses pursued at another ABA-accredited law school. This rule applies to both domestic school programs and international law programs. The student will be responsible for any additional tuition and costs payable to the host law school, in addition to all tuition and costs of Suffolk University Law School. If the remaining courses in a student's program which are taken at Suffolk University Law School total less than 10 credits (Day Division) or 7 credits (Evening Division) per semester, the tuition payable to Suffolk University will be calculated at the special student rate per credit.