Graduate Student Grievance Procedures

Graduate students may pursue a number of avenues of redress. The following
document contains a list of pathways to pursue a problem. Please remember
that the Graduate Representative Organization is a continuing source of
support for graduate students. Our staff has experience in helping graduate
students with a multitude of issues. If we do not have expertise in how to
resolve your particular problem we can guide you to find the best
resolution.

Potential Problems and Potential Avenues to Solutions:
The following is a guideline for how to pursue the solutions to different
problems. You are free to talk to anyone at any time. Use your discretion
to decide the best place to start.

First check your department's student handbook for existing policies.
For issues of sexual harassment and other forms of discriminatory
harassment, contact Kevin McDonald kmcdonald@jhu.edu at the Office of Equal
Opportunity and Affirmative Action Programs http://www.jhuaa.org
For concerns related to a possible or existing disability, contact Peggy
Hayeslip phayeslip@jhu.edu at the Office of Equal Opportunity and
Affirmative Action Programs, http://www.jhuaa.org
For affirmative action/minority concerns contact Ray Gillian
rgillian@jhu.edu at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
http://www.jhuaa.org/index.html  An additional source of support may be
found at the Diversity Leadership Council http://www.jhu.edu/~dlc
For problems specific to research such as with conflict of interest,
conflict of commitment, and any other research integrity matter, the
graduate student should approach:
        Arts and Science: Dean of Research and Graduate Education, Eaton
        Lattman lattman@jhu.edu

        Engineering: Associate Dean for Research, Marc Donohue mdd@jhu.edu
        .
For a behavioral problem with a faculty member, a graduate student can
first approach their department's graduate student coordinator or
department chair.  If the issue is not resolved satisfactorily with the
Chair, the graduate student should then approach:
        Arts and Science: Dean of Research and Graduate Education, Eaton
        Lattman lattman@jhu.edu or Dean of the Faculty, Adam Falk
        falk@jhu.edu,

        Engineering: Assistant Dean for Academic Programs Dan Horn,
        dhorn@jhu.edu or Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Andrew
        Douglas, Douglas@jhu.edu .
For academic problems with a faculty member, the graduate student can first
approach the Department Chair. If this fails to result in adequate
treatment, the graduate student may appeal to the appropriate Dean in the
following recommended order:
        Arts and Sciences: Dean of Research and Graduate Education, Eaton
        Lattman lattman@jhu.edu  then Dean of the Faculty, Adam Falk
        falk@jhu.edu then the Dean of Arts & Sciences: Daniel Weiss,
        dweiss@jhu.edu

        Engineering: Assistant Dean for Academic Programs Dan Horn,
        dhorn@jhu.edu or the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Andrew
        Douglas, Douglas@jhu.edu then the Dean of Engineering, Nicholas
        Jones npjones@jhu.edu
      You may also approach at any time the Associate Provost for Research,
      the Graduate Board. At any time, Dorothy Sheppard dsheppard@jhu.edu
      may be approached for advice or help.
For behavioral or other problems with a non-faculty university employee, a
graduate student may approach Dorothy Sheppard dsheppard@jhu.edu or Susan
Boswell sboswell@jhu.edu  in the Dean of Student Life Office.
Dorothy Sheppard dsheppard@jhu.edu , Associate Dean of Students, has agreed
to act as a mediator and advisor to graduate students with problems.  She
may be consulted at any time either to intervene or simply to advise a
student on how to address a situation (whom to approach, issues and rules
involved, etc.).  She is the unofficial graduate student ombudsperson.
For problems outside of campus, (landlord issues, etc) contact the Dean of
Student Life, Susan Boswell sboswell@jhu.edu , or Dorothy Sheppard
dsheppard@jhu.edu .
A continuous resource is the GRO gro@jhu.edu or X6-7682.
If you feel you are to be dismissed unfairly for behavioral problems,
approach the Graduate Board Chair www.jhu.edu/~gradbd

Rules Pertaining to Graduate Students

Upon entering the university, all graduate students are expected to abide
by the Graduate Board's code of conduct (adopted February 2003):

      Academic Integrity
      Students assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner
      appropriate to the Johns Hopkins University's mission as an
      institution of higher education.  A student is obligated to refrain
      from acts that he or she knows, or under the circumstances has reason
      to know, impair the academic integrity of the University.  Violations
      of academic integrity include, but are no limited to:  cheating,
      plagiarism; submitting as one's own the same or substantially similar
      work of another; knowingly furnishing false information to any agent
      of the University for inclusion in the academic records;
      falsification; forgery.


      Student Conduct

      The university expects all students to respect the rights of others,
      and to refrain from behavior that tends to impair the University's
      mission of teaching, research/scholarship, and outreach to the local,
      national, and international community.  Students who fail to respect
      the rights of others, or behave in ways that tend to impair the
      University's mission may be disciplined and may forfeit their right to
      be members of the university community.  Such actions may include
      committing acts which are a danger to their own personal safety or
      which have the potential of harming others, or who destroy, impair, or
      wrongfully appropriate property.

      Students are expected to know and abide by all university policies
      governing student conduct and academic integrity.  Refer to your
      divisional academic policies and procedures for specific information.


Rules about the procedures and requirements for the granting of advanced
degrees may be found on the Graduate Board website (www.jhu.edu/~gradbd).

Things to Note/General Advice in Pursuing Any Problem

It is helpful to have a faculty ally in a matter (bring them to meetings
etc).
It is helpful to have complaints on file. If action is not taken on a
particular matter it may be taken in the future if complaints are
consistent, frequent etc.
It is helpful to have information in writing. This applies to anything from
a formal complaint to documentation of the problem.  Keep copies!!
Appeals made on procedural grounds should be done through the provosts
office
There are often multiple outlets to pursue a problem. If appropriate, take
advantage of these but, in general, keep the people who are helping you
informed of your pursuits.
Providing more information to an office makes it more likely for that
office to be able to pursue the matter.
A student may send an anonymous note to any office or speak anonymously to
people in any office. However, there are certain issues such as academic
integrity, which officers of the university are obliged to pursue.
The university counsel's office does not serve as a resource for students.
It is a venue for the university to verify that its practices are within
legal norms.  ("Practices" here might include everything from copyright
issues to dismissal of faculty and students to sexual harassment
regulations.)
Dorothy Sheppard, who acts as a mediator and ombudsperson for the
university, is not truly an ombudsperson in the typical sense of the word.
She is not independent of the university and its interests; however, she is
employed by the Dean of Students and not by the academic side of the
university.
The undergraduate code of ethics and Ethics Board are not procedurally
pertinent to graduate student problems except while students are teaching.


University Resources

Associate Provost for Research
Graduate Board www.jhu.edu/~gradbd
Dean of Student Life and Associate Dean of Student Life
http://www.jhu.edu/studentlife
Campus Ministries http://www.jhu.edu/~chaplain
Counseling Center http://www.jhu.edu/~ccenter
Dean of Arts & Sciences
Dean of Engineering
Dean of the Faculty
Diversity Leadership Council http://www.jhu.edu/~dlc
International Students Office
University Sexual Harassment and Prevention and Resolution Program
http://www.jhuaa.org/shprp/index.html
Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
http://www.jhuaa.org/index.html

List of past grievances (and potential sources of solutions):
This list of past problems or potential problems was generated by graduate
students as examples for how to pursue solutions to different problems. You
are free to talk to anyone at any time. Use your judgment in where in the
chain of command is best to begin.

TA problems:
Student overworked first check your department's handbook, advisor,
department head, Dean of Graduate Education or Dean of Academic Affairs
Harassment by undergrad or violation of privacy (contacting TA at home,
etc)
Faculty/Advisor problems:
Lure student to university with false promises in order to recruit them
(Department Chair then Assoc Dean for Research or Assoc Dean of Graduate
Education then Graduate Board)
Plagiarizing grad student's work (Graduate Board then Assoc Dean)
Delaying the publishing of papers (Department Chair then Assoc Dean for
Research or Assoc Dean of Graduate Education)
Make requests that students don't agree with (include grant members who did
not contribute to the paper as coauthors) (Department Chair then Assoc Dean
for Research or Assoc Dean of Graduate Education)
Advisor runs out of funding, advisor and dept drop student without warning
(Dean's Office)
Grad student held at JHU against their will (not allowed to graduate in a
reasonable time in spite of finishing their requirements, not allowed to
take GBO etc.) (in Engineering, Office of Academic Affairs, in Arts and
Science, Deans of Research and Graduate Education, then the Graduate Board)
Conflict with faculty and needed a 3rd party mediator (Department Chair, in
Engineering, Office of Academic Affairs, in Arts and Science, Deans of
Research and Graduate Education, then the Ombudsperson)
Advisor leaves, but following the advisor was not feasible (Case-by-case
basis, Department Chair then Associate Dean)
As one student put this, some departments have 'Old boys club' networks
where it is unreasonable to go to the department chair for a complaint
about a faculty member in the department (Graduate Board)
Advisor passing a project to another grad student without consulting the
grad student who was working on that project (Technically this is OK to do.
 If the student wishes to lodge a formal complaint, contact the Dept Chair
or Dean's Office)
Little supervision of Jr. Faculty advisors (perhaps are not aware of
policies/procedures)
Abuse of international students who are entirely dependent on their
advisors for their visa status (in Engineering, Office of Academic Affairs,
in Arts and Science, Deans of Research and Graduate Education)
Lack of graduate student guidelines for progress within departments
(Department Chair, then, in Engineering, Office of Academic Affairs, in
Arts and Science, Deans of Research and Graduate Education)
Multiple offenses by faculty member of particular policy (in one example,
sexual harassment), seemingly without consequence or assurance that these
offenses will be prevented in the future (Sexual Harassment Office)
Faculty teaching grad courses that they are unqualified to teach
(Department Chair, then, in Engineering, Office of Academic Affairs, in
Arts and Science, Deans of Research and Graduate Education)