PEOPLES COLLEGE OF LAW POLICIES

ADOPTED BY VOTE OF THE COMMUNITY BOARD

 PEOPLES COLLEGE OF LAW
POLICIES ON ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT
ADOPTED AUGUST 23, 2017, REVISED APRIL 19, 2018

1. Failing and Substandard Grades

First Year students who receive two unsatisfactory semester grades (below 70) or one failure
(below 60) shall not be certified to take the First Year Law Student’s Examination unless they
raise their grades through make-up work pursuant to Section 6.

No credit is given for any class in which a failing grade has been received unless the student
raises the grade to a passing grade through make-up work pursuant to Section 5. If the student
does not raise the grade to passing pursuant to Section 5, then within 12 months after the student
completes the Section 5 make-up work, the student must repeat the course and receive a passing
grade, and if the student fails to do so within those 12 months, the student will be disqualified
from enrollment and further classes. Such disqualification is subject to review by the Community
Board, which may under special circumstances permit the student to advance to the next quarter
or semester under such probationary conditions as the Community Board determines. The
Community Board may delegate some or all of these functions to the Executive Committee or
the Faculty and Curriculum Committee, or may receive recommendations for these functions
from the Executive Committee or the FCC.

2. Advancement in Good Standing

A student can advance to the next academic year in good standing, will be certified by PCL to
take the FYLX and will graduate ONLY if at the end of each academic year the student has
submitted all assignments and exam answers required in all courses, has attended 80% of the
student’s class sessions, has a minimum average grade of C for all the student’s classes
combined, and all the students’ tuition and fees are paid in full.

3. Grading
Compulsory subjects at Peoples College of Law are the fourteen subjects tested on/by the
Committee of Bar Examiners of the State of California. Written final examinations are generally
required in all compulsory subjects. Examinations are conducted under a number system in
which the students remain anonymous to the grader. Additional examinations may be scheduled
at the option of the Faculty. If a student is unable to take an examination at the time scheduled,
the student must notify the instructor, and must do so before the exam if possible. The student
must explain to the instructor the reason the student cannot take the exam at the scheduled time,
and if the instructor finds the reason acceptable, the student must discuss alternate times with the
instructor and the instructor must assign the student a different time to take the exam.

Occasionally, at the discretion of the instructor, projects maybe assigned in place of

examinations, specifically for elective classes and where the project has an overarching benefit
for the future practice of the students.

Good Academic standing is determined by maintenance of an average grade of C or higher. The

following numerical grading system is used:

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96-100 A+
94-97 A
90-93 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
63-66 D
61-62 D-
60 - 0 F – failing

Students enrolled in a semester or quarter course will receive a numerical grade at the
completion of each required course. Students who with prior approval do not take the final
examination will receive an incomplete. Incompletes, which are not made up by taking the final
exam within one quarter (10 weeks) or semester (15 weeks) after the end of the quarter or
semester in which the exam was given to the class will automatically change to a failing grade,
which can only be raised to a passing grade if the student takes the exam and receives a passing
grade and does make-up work pursuant to Section 5. Students may withdraw from a class within
the first two weeks, if they have submitted a written request for that withdrawal to the
Administrator. The grade of “W” will be recorded for all courses from which a student
withdraws following the proper procedures. Failing grades will be entered if a student withdraws
but proper withdrawal procedures are not completed.

Elective courses maybe graded as pass/fail at the discretion of the Instructor, and with the prior
approval of FCC. Once a student has elected to receive a pass/fail grade in a course and has filed
the appropriate paper work to receive pass/fail standing, the student will not receive a number
grade, nor will the student be allowed to petition for a change to a number grade.

For each class, the instructor must provide each student with a written statement explaining the
extent to which extent to which each of the following will be used in determining a final grade:
(1) The final examination;
(2) Intermediate, mid-year, or other examinations;
(3) Class performance, including preparation and participation, whether in a classroom, through
correspondence, or online;
(4) Evaluation of examinations or other performance by other than the course instructor; and
(5) Any other consideration that might affect the grade in any course.

All PCL students are expected to know, and avoid, plagiarism and other forms of cheating. All
exam answers and assignments must be done solely by the student. If an instructor has a
legitimate doubt that the work was not done solely by the student, or that the student engaged in
plagiarism or other cheating, the student will be subject to potential discipline under the
discipline procedures in the Bylaws and this Handbook.

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For each class, the instructor must advise each student of the grade received on each examination
within a reasonable time after the examination and of the final grade for the course within a
reasonable time after the student completes the course. The instructor may do so by informing
the Administrator of this information, and the administrator shall then inform the students.

PCL allows every student to inspect and copy examination questions and the student’s answers
to those questions (other than for multiple-choice, true-false, and similar tests) for a reasonable
period after grades are recorded, and to compare the student’s answers to the answers for
multiple-choice, true-false, and similar tests for a reasonable period of time after grades are
recorded.

4. Graduation
Current requirements for graduation with a J.D. degree:
● Completion of first year classes and passage of FYLS Exam.
● Attendance: 80% of classes held (12/15. 8/10)
● A passing grade for each class the student took, except for classes from which the student
withdrew using proper procedures.
● Students must complete 18 units minimum per year, for 72 units over 4 years total for
graduation.
● Student must take all 14 required Bar Subjects.
● Student has met all financial obligations to PCL.
● Student is in good standing with the PCL Community as prescribed in Section 4.11 of the
Bylaws, and Section 4.2 of the Bylaws does not apply.
● Satisfaction of all the requirements for graduation in Section 5 above.

5. Make-up Work
Any student who misses more than two classes in a quarterly course, or more than three classes
in a semester course, or who gets a failing grade in a class, or two grades below 70 in a first year
class, must petition the FCC and the instructor for the opportunity to make up the missed classes
or raise the failing grade by doing additional extra credit work. The FCC and the instructor must
promptly approve or disapprove the petition, and if approved, they must agree on the content of
the make-up assignment. The instructor must then promptly have the student perform the make-
up assignment within a prompt period of time stated to the student. If the student does the
assignment within the time limit, the instructor must grade it. The student must receive a passing
grade on the make-up work in order for the grade to be raised. The instructor must report to the
Administrator and the FCC the student’s grade on the make-up work, whether the instructor
changed the student’s grade for the course and if so to what grade. If the student does not obtain
a passing grade on the make-up work, then, at the discretion of the FCC and the instructor, the
student may be given a second opportunity to do make-up work in order to obtain a passing
grade.

6. Student Grievance
Any Student who is dissatisfied or unhappy with any decision by PCL administration or faculty
affecting the student’s enrollment or status as student in good standing, grade, or the conduct,
performance or teaching methods of any instructor, may submit a written complaint, defined as

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any written objection concerning grades, attendance records, or other decision affecting the
student’s enrollment, status of student in good standing or instructor The grievance can dispute a
grade based on the student’s belief that the an examination or course grade resulted from
unfairness, a departure from established grading policy, or a clearly shown mistake, or some
other legitimate reason. The student should presents credible evidence in support of a grade
dispute, if such evidence is reasonably available.

Step 1: If the grievance involves an instructor, the complaint should first be brought to the
attention of that instructor, who must have an individual discussion with the student, or if
brought by a group of students, with the group, in a good faith effort to resolve the matter.

Step 2: If unresolved in Step 1, the matter must be discussed with the a student member of the
Community Board, who will act as a liaison and will have the responsibility of bringing the
matter to the attention of the FCC; or if the matter involves “administrative action,” to the
Administrator.

Step 3: If unresolved in Step 2, the matter will be directed to the Community Board for final
resolution. The Community Board may delegate this function to the Executive Committee or the
Faculty and Curriculum Committee, or may receive recommendations for this function from the
Executive Committee or the FCC.

However, if the grievance disputes a grade the student received, the dispute must be resolved nob
by the Community Board or the Executive Committee, but by a committee consisting of faculty
and at least one student. The committee shall have an odd number of voting members, and the
majority may be either faculty or students. The Community Board must appoint the committee. It
may be an ad hoc committee, a newly formed standing committee, or, the Faculty and
Curriculum Committee if the FCC satisfies the above criteria for this committee.

7. Faculty Monitoring of Student Performance

If a student’s instructor comes to believe that the student is likely to fail a course or, in the words
of State Bar Guideline 5.27, “clearly lacks the ability or the educational background to study
law.” the instructor must report that belief to the Dean.

8. Students May Enroll Only for Start of Academic Year, Not Later
If a student does not enroll and begin classes for the first quarter or semester of an academic
year, the student will not be permitted to enroll or take classes for any later quarter or semester of
the same academic year. Students shall be notified of this, as well as all other academic policies.

END

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 PEOPLES COLLEGE OF LAW
POLICY ON CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Peoples College of Law will not disclose, without a student's consent, information about the
student, including grades, grade average, class schedule, address or telephone number, or other
private information, unless:
(A) Required by law, including administrative subpoena or court order;
(B) The information is requested by the Committee;
(C) The information is requested by an accrediting agency; or
(D) In case of emergency.
This policy applies to Peoples College of Law and all its directors, officers, employees,
committee members and volunteers.

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 PEOPLES COLLEGE OF LAW
POLICY ON EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTORS
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Instructors will be evaluated yearly by students and by one or more of the following: other
faculty, members of the Community Board, the non-student members of the FCC, or the dean.
The criteria for evaluate are (and then we set out paragraphs (A) through (F) below.

(A) The instructor's education, knowledge, and experience in the subject matter;
(B) The instructor's competence in the classroom or in other instructional activities;
(C) The instructor's teaching skills given the technology and methodology used in instruction,
and the quality of participatory experiences employed;
(D) The instructor's organization of the course as demonstrated by outlines or syllabi;
(E) The quality, nature, and type of examinations, and other assignments and the quality of
grading;
(F) The relation between the field of instruction and the area of specialization, if any, of the
instructor in private practice; and
(G) The years of experience, both in teaching and in practice.

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 REFUND POLICY ADOPTED BY COMMUNITY BOARD SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

1. The application fee of is non-refundable.

2. CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS: At any time during the academic year the student may
cancel this agreement and received a refund calculated as a percentage of the payments the
student has made that are in excess of the portion of the PCL academic year the student has not
paid for. The academic year is approximately 9 months, September through May. For example, if
a first year student has paid all amounts for the first academic year and cancels this agreement
with 7/9 of the academic year remaining, the refund will be 7/9 of the amount the student has
paid for the academic year, but not the regulation fee.

3. Also, a student may withdraw from less than all the student’s classes and receive a prorata
refund. For example, if a first year student has paid all amounts for the semester and is taking
three courses of 3 units each that semester, and the student withdraws from one course half way
through the semester, then the refund will be 1/6 of the amount the student has paid for the first
semester, but not the regulation fee.

4. No other refunds are allowed except those stated in the two paragraphs immediately above.
Refunds will be paid within 30 days after cancellation.