College Policies

Grade disputes are governed by College and Department review policies. The order of review is course instructor, Graduate Advisor, Department Chair or Program Director, and Dean of the College. The decision of the Dean is final.

Other academic grievances (e.g., disputes related to a student’s academic responsibilities, thesis/dissertation research, or graduate degree requirements) are governed by Graduate School Grievance Procedures as outlined in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP).

Grievances involving any form of alleged harassment or discrimination should be submitted to either the University Title IX Office and/or the Center for Equity & Inclusion, following HOP rules for the Department of Investigation and Adjudication.

In instances of alleged misconduct, general guidelines indicate that an internal resolution should be pursued whenever possible. If internal resolution fails, cases alleging student misconduct should be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students. Cases alleging faculty, staff or supervisor misconduct should be directed to the Department Chair or Program Director, the College Dean, and the Graduate School, in that order.

Teaching Assistant or Assistant Instructor employment disputes are governed by University TA/AI Grievance Procedures.

Graduate Research Assistant employment disputes are governed by University GRA Grievance Procedures.

In cases of childbirth or adoption, graduate students in the College of Natural Sciences are allowed a one-semester extension in the completion of academic responsibilities required for their degree. Academic responsibilities include coursework, qualifying exams, committee meetings, presentations, or any other required academic milestones. The CNS Academic Accommodation Policy allows these responsibilities to be postponed either during or immediately following the semester in which the student’s child is born or adopted. After an accommodation period, students are expected to resume progress toward degree completion, and faculty are encouraged to remain flexible in their expectations so that students can meet the demands of graduate study while adjusting to new demands in their parental roles.

The College strongly encourages departments to provide non-TA/AI support for graduate students during the semester in which a child is born or adopted. If this cannot be done, new parents may request to be appointed to TA positions whose duties can be done in flexible environments and on flexible schedules. (Examples of such duties include: generating or proofreading exams, homework sets, or exam review materials; preparing detailed solution keys to problems; grading or grade-book maintenance; and assisting students with course content through email correspondence.) Students should check with their program’s Graduate Advisor and Graduate Coordinator for information about available TA positions that may be appropriate for their particular situations. Flexibility regarding the distribution of specific TA duties within a semester is strongly encouraged for supervisors of students anticipating the birth or adoption of a child. The student and Graduate Advisor (or other supervisor) should agree to review these TA duties on a periodic schedule to ensure that work is being completed in a timely and satisfactory manner. A TA whose accommodations include performing at least some duties away from campus should review University guidelines regarding telecommuting and may be asked to sign a flexible work agreement.

Some graduate students may be able to carry out modified research duties following the birth or adoption of a child – thereby continuing progress towards the goals of their research, meeting the requirements of the external funding agency, and remaining in compliance for reporting effort on federal grants, if appropriate. (Modified duties may include: scholarly research and literature compilations, data processing and analysis, scientific writing, or preparation of other scientific communication materials.) See Modified Research Duties for Graduate Research Assistants in CNS below for more information on eligibility and application requirements.

In some cases, a complete break from all employment responsibilities may be most appropriate for new graduate student parents. Benefits-eligible graduate student employees who continue to meet eligibility requirements for employment are entitled to Parental Leave of up to twelve weeks following the birth of a child or an adoption or foster-care placement of a child under age three. This leave is unpaid, and – unless the student qualifies for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – employee health insurance premium sharing is unavailable for any full month of leave (see the Human Resources Parental Leave webpage).

Students requesting Parental Leave may also request consideration by the College of Natural Sciences for Endowed Fellowship Funds from the Dean's Office to maintain stipend support and cover health insurance premiums for a portion of the semester in which a leave is granted. Please see your department’s Graduate Advisor, Graduate Coordinator, or Parental Accommodation faculty contact person for assistance. The CNS Director for Postgraduate Education will assist faculty contacts in determining the course of action that is most appropriate for individual graduate student parents. Students may also direct questions about Parental Leave and FMLA leave to the Human Resources Service Center at hrsc@austin.utexas.edu.