Academic Policies

Course Requirements for Graduation and Bar Certification

It is the student’s responsibility to meet all program and graduation requirements. Completion of requirements includes having a grade recorded for every course for which the student has registered. All students must complete incomplete work from prior semesters no later that May 1 of their final semester. Students graduating in other semesters should contact the appropriate program office for the deadline. Students must complete all work from their final semester by the last day of the exam period for that semester. Students who have not met all graduation requirements, including satisfying all financial obligations, WILL NOT be certified for the Bar examination.

Financial Arrears at Time of Graduation

A student who, at the time of graduation, is financially obligated to the Bursar for tuition, housing (including summer housing after the final semester), any NYU library or other departments will have a ‘STOP’ placed on their account and will not be certified for state bar examinations, have official transcripts issued, or have a diploma issued until all arrears have been paid. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure all accounts are cleared prior to June 10 since the deadline for some state Bars is July 1 and time is needed to process paperwork.

New York State Health Law Compliant at Time of Graduation

A student who, at the time of graduation, is not in compliance with New York State Health Law requirements for immunization against Measles, Mumps and Rubella and/or the requirement for either agreeing to waive the Meningitis vaccination or provide proof of same, will not be certified (and transcript and diploma will not be printed).

Undergraduate Transcript and College Questionnaire

A student, who, at the time of graduation, has not provided both the final undergraduate transcript and the completed college questionnaire, will not be certified for the bar and transcript and diploma will not be printed.

Diploma

If you would like your name to appear differently on your diploma than it does on Albert, you must make changes through the University Registrar. See Paper and Electronic Diplomas for more information. The diploma cannot be re-issued if you would like your name to appear differently after it has been printed. Also review your permanent address on Albert; this is the address to which your diploma will be mailed approximately two months after graduation. A recipient of a May degree can expect to receive this diploma by mail in September.

Pursuant to applicable New York University by-laws and disciplinary procedures, the faculty of the New York University School of Law voted on May 8, 2019, to amend the section addressing informal resolution of issues raised by or against students.  These amendments do not alter the procedures for formal student discipline described in Part V and approved by vote of the Law School Faculty on October 27, 1989 and in subsequent amendments. The procedures described below are not exclusive, and are not intended to prevent the Dean from acting independently in cases involving emergencies, severe violation of university policy, or imminent danger to community safety.

Introduction

In a large, diverse, and vibrant community such as NYU Law, students may encounter issues that require assistance to resolve.  Some such issues may involve serious misconduct, while others relate to ministerial matters.  Examples of the range of complaints, concerns, or questions that might arise include:

• A faculty member or student alleges that another student plagiarized a paper
• A group of students seek a curricular change
• A student alleges that a faculty member repeated an exam given in a prior year
• A student alleges that a recruiter made a racially charged remark
• A bar owner alleges that a student at an NYU law-sponsored event defaced property at the bar
• A student group seeks a change in Law School policy
• A student alleges that a faculty member uses terminology the student deems offensive
• A student alleges that another student threatened and assaulted them

This policy provides guidance about NYU Law’s community standards of conduct (Part I), the resources available when students have concerns or complaints (Part II), the option to pursue formal or informal measures to address such issues (Part III) and the informal measures (Part IV) or formal process (Part V) that may apply.

Community standards

A. General code of conduct

As reflected in the University Student Conduct Policy, New York University School of Law is an academic institution committed to the principles of “free inquiry, free expression, and free association.”  The Law School is part of “a community where the means of seeking to establish truth are open discussion and free discourse” and one that “thrives on debate and dissent.”

As an educational institution, NYU Law is further committed to establishing a learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to flourish. The Law School endeavors to foster an equitable and inclusive educational environment, even as community members engage in spirited dialogue around difficult, contested, and deeply felt views.  As stated in the university policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU:

[A] commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values will create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.

All members of the NYU Law School community are expected to follow state and federal laws; to adhere to the standards of behavior set out in university and Law School policies; and to hold themselves to the highest standards of honesty and civility.

B. Specific disciplinary standards

The university sets out numerous policies outlining the general rules of conduct that apply to all students in the university community, including a University Student Conduct Policy, the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Procedures for Students, the Rules for the Maintenance of Public Order and an Academic Integrity policy.  The university also prescribes rules regarding specific areas, such as described in the Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking Policy, which applies to all members of the university community.  NYU maintains a comprehensive, searchable database of university policies.

Specific policies expressly govern the conduct of faculty, staff, and administrators, including the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures for Employees, the Code of Ethical Conduct, and the promise of Academic Freedom.

These university policies cover a wide range of conduct.  As regards students, they generally govern four areas of concern, which in some cases may be overlapping:

• academic integrity (such as plagiarism, cheating, or altering a transcript)
•  general student behavior (such as abuse of alcohol, misuse of technology, or destruction of property)
• bias and harassment (such as adverse treatment on the basis of a protected status or display or electronic transmission of hostile or degrading images)
• sexual misconduct and harassment (such as sex- or gender-based discrimination, sexual assault and sexual harassment)

Certain of these policies merit special emphasis.  Because these policies undergo periodic revision, students are advised to consult the most current version of these policies, as found on the university’s and Law School’s web pages, to verify the precise governing language.

1.  Academic integrity. The Academic Integrity policy expressly defines and prohibits plagiarism, or “presenting others' work without adequate acknowledgement of its source, as though it were one’s own.”  It also lists examples of cheating that include:

• bringing or accessing unauthorized materials during an examination
• submitting the same or substantially similar work in multiple courses
• providing assistance to acts of academic misconduct/dishonesty
• altering or forging academic documents

In addition to the University-wide Academic Integrity for Students at NYU Policy, the Law School adopts the following policy.  The Law School expressly prohibits cheating, plagiarism, forgery of academic documents, or submission of substantially the same work for duplicate credits with intent to defraud. Each of these constitutes an academic crime and a serious breach of Law School rules. Faculty and students are obligated to report cases of plagiarism to the Vice Dean for Curriculum for appropriate action. Among the possible sanctions for plagiarism are expulsion, suspension, grade reduction (including a grade of “FX” indicating a failure for plagiarism), and a statement of censure placed in the student’s file. All disciplinary code violations will be made available to bar admission committees and others on proper waiver of confidentiality.

A student’s submission of work (including journal submissions) under the student’s name constitutes a representation that the research, analysis, and articulation of the work is exclusively that of the student, except as expressly attributed to another in the work, and that it has been prepared exclusively for the particular course, seminar, or use entitling the student to credit.

Plagiarism occurs when one, either intentionally or through gross negligence, passes off someone else’s words as one’s own, or presents an idea or product copied or paraphrased from an existing source without giving credit to that source.

Although not within the definition of plagiarism, it is also forbidden, without permission of the instructor, to submit the same work or a portion of the same work for academic credit in more than one setting, whether the work was previously submitted at this school or elsewhere. Submission of a paper or written work, or portion thereof, for credit, of work that has been previously submitted in identical or similar form in another course, or any other forum, either within the Law School, or any other setting, is forbidden without permission of the instructor.

What follows are some examples -- by no means exhaustive -- of common situations in which plagiarism (or other conduct prohibited by this policy) has occurred. These are meant to be purely illustrative and in no sense establish floors or minimal requirements.

•  Example 1: A student submits work in which portions are copied verbatim from another text without quotation marks and a citation.
•  Example 2: A student rearranges or paraphrases portions of the copied material, but still fails to put verbatim language in quotations or to cite the source for material that has been paraphrased.
• Example 3: A student uses part of a paper previously submitted in another course, without the permission of the instructor to whom the student is submitting the paper.
• Example 4: A student relies on the discussion of Source A that is contained in Source B but fails to cite Source B.
• Example 5: A student takes notes from various sources onto note cards or a computer; the notes include both verbatim quotes and the student’s own thoughts.  The student transfers information from the note cards or computer without preserving quotation marks. Even if the student was pressed for time, or wrote the paper hurriedly, plagiarism has occurred.
•  Example 6: A student downloads work from the Internet and modifies it in important respects to conform to a specific topic without acknowledging the original source.

Students are advised to steer clear of the border line. It is never a problem to recognize that ideas and arguments were derived from another source or to use quotation marks for words or phrases borrowed from someone else’s work. Where doubts exist, students should seek advice from their instructor.

2. General student behavior. The University Student Conduct Policy governs the standards of conduct for all students at the University, including the Law School.  The policy requires students to refrain from a number of types of conduct defined in detail in that policy, including violations related to alcohol and drugs; bullying, threatening, and abusive behavior; destruction of property; discrimination and harassment; disorderly conduct; failure to comply; fire safety; conduct while studying abroad; guests and visitors; hazing; information technology; misrepresentation; retaliation; residence halls; sexual misconduct; smoking; theft and unauthorized taking; misuse of University properties; weapons and related items; and violation of other University policies.

The University Student Conduct Policy applies fully to students at the Law School and would prohibit, among other things, the following examples of misconduct:

• Physical assault, intentional acts of physical violence, malicious injury to the property of others, conduct which intentionally or recklessly imperils the safety of any person or of Law School premises, or threats to commit any of the above
• Intentional disruption of a lecture hall, classroom, or any other premises used for academic purposes
• Theft of library materials, or destruction of all or part of a library book or archival document
• Intentional interference with access to lecture halls, classrooms, or academic offices
• Intentional physical detention or restraint of a student, instructor, staff member or administrator while that person is attempting to exercise Law School duties

The Law School additionally specifically forbids: engaging in any violation of law, or school rule, or other conduct that adversely reflects on fitness as a law student or fitness to practice law.

3. Bias and harassment.  The Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy states that “[p]rohibited discrimination and prohibited harassment undermine the character and purpose of NYU and may violate the law.”  As specifically defined and explained further in the policy, NYU prohibits adverse treatment and unwelcome conduct based on a student’s protected characteristic.  The Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy protects students at the Law School and would prohibit, among other things, the following examples of misconduct:

• Verbal abuse or hostile behavior, which could include insulting, teasing, mocking, degrading, or ridiculing another person or group
• Inappropriate physical contact, comments, questions, advances, jokes, epithets, or demands
•  Physical assault or stalking
• Displays or electronic transmission of derogatory, demeaning, or hostile materials
•  Physically threatening or intimidating, or otherwise harassing, behavior which is overtly and intentionally directed towards a person or group of persons on grounds of  a protected characteristic as defined in the policy

4. Consensual relationships; Sexual misconduct and harassment. The Policy on Consensual Intimate Relationships proscribes certain sexual relationships based on the status of the individuals involved. It specifically prohibits intimate relationships between a “faculty member and a graduate student in the same discipline or academic program,” as well as between a “teaching assistant and a student in the teaching assistant’s class.”

The Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking Policy defines and proscribes sexual misconduct, and prohibits retaliation against those who file complaints. There are also detailed procedures for filing and adjudicating a complaint against employees or students. The policy sets out a lengthy definition of prohibited conduct, including sexual or gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, and stalking.

C. Retaliation

Many University conduct policies also prohibit retaliation against a person who makes a good faith report of an alleged violation of an NYU policy.  Retaliation can constitute a separate violation of the applicable policy.

Specifically with respect to any policy of the Law School not otherwise addressed by a University policy, retaliation is forbidden and constitutes a separate violation of Law School Policy. Retaliation means an adverse action taken against a student because a student pursued an informal or formal complaint, or participated or assisted in the resolution of a complaint.

Some concerns or complaints may require more concentrated attention. In such cases, issues may be addressed through either formal process or informal measures.

Informal measures are available to resolve alleged violations of Law School or university policies, as well as to address a broader set of concerns. For instance, informal measures are available to address conduct that implicates community standards, but does not implicate a particular violation of policy. Informal measures are also an appropriate means by which a student might seek to initiate conversation about organizational policies or practices, community standards, or other areas of interest that do not entail assignation of blame or fact-finding, but rather contemplate collaborative dialogue, mutual agreement, and prospective change. 

Formal procedures are available to resolve complaints that allege a violation of Law School or university policies. Formal procedures are required whenever the sanction or remedy will include formal discipline of any kind, such as expulsion, suspension, or notations on academic or other official records. 

A. Applicability of informal measures and formal process as defined in Parts IV and V.

1. Allegations of sexual misconduct, relationship violence, or stalking excluded.  

The NYU Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking applies to all members of the NYU Law community, whether student or employee, and defines prohibited behaviors. All complaints or concerns covered by that policy must be governed exclusively by that policy and its associated procedures (which are described in documents that address complaints against employees or students). 

NYU requires Responsible Employees (those Employees in a leadership or supervisory position, or who have significant responsibility for the welfare of students or employees) to immediately report any known or suspected violations of the policy to the university Title IX Coordinator, even if such a report is against the wishes of the complainant. The policy also details privacy and confidentiality protections applicable to complainants and members of the community who receive notice of or witness a violation, and expressly forbids retaliation. NYU provides information on policies and procedures related to Title IX that describes these rules and procedures in greater detail, and also provides various guides, examples of available remedies and accommodations, and information about support and resources available through the Wellness Exchange. 

2. Availability of formal process versus informal measures

Apart from allegations of Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, or Stalking that must be handled as described in III.A.1, student questions, complaints, or concerns typically fall into one of four categories:

• Complaints or concerns involving conduct or actions of NYU Law students
• Complaints or concerns involving conduct or actions of NYU students not affiliated with the Law School
• Complaints or concerns involving conduct or actions of NYU employees, including faculty, staff, and administrators of NYU Law
• Complaints or concerns involving conduct or actions of members of the NYU community who are neither students nor employees

This subsection explains the available approaches for each of these categories. Subsection B, which follows, explains the factors that might influence the decision to seek informal or formal resolution of an issue, when both options are available. This policy does not address complaints or concerns raised by employees of NYU Law against the university, which are typically handled through direct petition to the Dean of the Law School or relevant university officials, or through policies specifically applicable to NYU employees.

a.  Conduct or actions of NYU Law students (1)

Complaints or concerns involving conduct or actions of an NYU Law student are typically resolved according to the informal measures outlined in Part IV, or the formal procedures outlined in Part V. Both approaches are available to resolve questions, complaints, or concerns about the conduct of an NYU Law student whether raised by:

• another NYU Law student 
• a member of the Law School community, such as faculty, staff or administrators
• a non-member of the Law School community, such as a vendor, employer, or contractor; in these cases, however, the Dean of Students in consultation with the Dean of the Law School shall determine whether the matter is of concern to the Law School, and if so, initiate formal process or informal measures as appropriate 

b. Conduct or actions of NYU students not affiliated with NYU Law

Complaints against NYU students not affiliated with the Law School are generally resolved at the university level. For example, the Student Conduct Procedures outline the manner in which alleged violations of the University Student Conduct Policy shall be addressed. The Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy for Students outlines procedures applicable when the alleged violation involves discrimination or harassment against a student. Additional procedures for specific situations, such as those applicable when a violation involves a NYU residential housing, may be found in the NYU Overview of Student Conduct Policies.

c. Conduct or actions of university employees, including NYU Law faculty, staff, and administrators  

Complaints or concerns against employees of NYU, including faculty, staff, and administrators of NYU Law, must be resolved consistent with applicable federal and state law, collective bargaining agreements, employment contracts, and university policy.  

For many such complaints or concerns, the measures for informal resolution as outlined in Part IV are available. But in some cases, more formal procedures may be required, including any allegation for which formal sanction or discipline is sought.   

When formal procedures are invoked or required, the precise nature of those processes are detailed in an array of policies tailored to the nature of the complaint (e.g., bias and harassment committed against an employee, bias and harassment committed against a student, research misconduct, conflicts of interest, revocation of tenure, etc.) and the university’s legal obligations.  A Student Grievance Procedure is also available for complaints that the student seeks to lodge at the university level, typically pertaining to general compliance with university practices or policies rather than a specific person’s conduct or behavior. Finally, as described in III.A.1, any and all allegations of Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, or Stalking must be handled according to the NYU Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking.  

d.  Conduct or actions of members of the NYU Law community who are neither students nor employees

Complaints or concerns against members of the NYU Law community (such as vendors or recruiters) who are not employees or students of NYU are governed by the informal measures detailed in Section IV.  

B. Choosing between formal process and informal measures

Generally speaking, the determination to proceed formally or informally rests primarily with the student who wishes to raise the issue, concern, or complaint.  However, regardless of the identities of the parties, complaints or concerns that do not allege any rule or policy violation may be addressed only through informal measures.  

In rare cases, an allegation may involve such a clear and severe violation of university or Law School policy that it requires resolution through formal procedures. In such instances, the decision to address the issue formally will be made with the cooperative consultation of the student alleging the violation, but the Dean retains the ultimate discretion to invoke the formal procedure process.  Examples of situations that may result in removal to formal proceedings include: serious violations of academic integrity or threats or acts that imminently endanger members of the community. 

Typically, however, the initial determination to pursue informal resolution of an issue or complaint rests within the sole discretion of the student. Because informal measures are voluntary and cooperative in character, the respondent may refuse to participate in an informal process; either party may also opt out or terminate informal measures at any time. In either event, formal procedures may be invoked so long as the complaint involves an alleged violation of a campus rule or policy.  

When either formal process or an informal measure is available, the considerations that might guide whether a student elects a particular approach include:

• The nature of the complaint or concern. Issues alleging serious, intentional, or pervasive violations of campus policies or codes of conduct, particularly those indicating that other students may be at risk, typically require formal procedures. In contrast, issues arising from unintentional or inadvertent acts, an isolated violation of policy that is amenable to voluntary correction, or institutional or structural concerns may be better suited to informal resolution. 
• Assignation of blame. Informal measures are restorative and educational in tone and character. Although accusations of blameworthiness may occur, the informal process is not focused on establishing wrong-doing; rather, its primary object is to identify routes of reconciliation and mutual understanding or agreement. 
• The remedy sought. Certain remedies are available only through formal procedures (such as another student’s expulsion, suspension, or official transcript notation; an investigation or findings that clearly implicate character and fitness evaluations by the bar; or an employee’s sanction or termination). 
• Privacy and confidentiality. Formal procedures require a student to file a written complaint, and afford certain rights to the respondent (such as the right to be present during the taking of evidence); they also involve adjudication by a multi-member disciplinary committee composed of faculty and a student representative. Accordingly, although formal procedures are typically confidential to the extent feasible (see Section V.B.5), the complaint is necessarily shared with others and formally recorded. Because informal measures do not include any formal factfinding, there is often greater flexibility to maintain the anonymity or privacy of the parties involved. The assumption is that informal measures will preserve confidentiality as appropriate under the circumstances. Aggregate information about concerns raised may be tracked by select administrators (e.g., the Dean, Dean of Students, and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion) as a means of assessing community climate, but, where appropriate, such information is stripped of identifying data.
• Records. Because the purpose of an informal approach is to resolve the issue without formal adjudicative procedures, informal measures do not include any formal or individualized factfinding or the deliberate creation of official Law School records. There is no policy to generate or maintain any kind of documentation regarding informal measures, although the administration also cannot guarantee that informal records (e.g., electronic communications, notes, etc.) will be routinely destroyed. Aggregate data about informal complaints may be noted or shared, but stripped of any identifying data where appropriate.

(1)  As used herein, “student” includes students enrolled in any academic program of the Law School as well as a student organization belonging to or affiliated with the Law School.  Some students may also be employed by the Law School, such as paid teaching or research assistants.  Generally, the policies and processes that apply depend upon what role the individual was acting in – i.e., student or employee – at the time of any alleged misconduct; certain conduct may implicate both student and employee policies.  NYU reserves its discretion to determine which policies apply.

Informal measures are available to resolve a wide array of questions, complaints, or concerns raised by NYU Law students or against NYU Law students, with the exception of those pertaining to sexual misconduct which must be handled as detailed in Part III.A.1. This includes issues raised:

• by a student against any member of the Law School community, including other students, faculty, staff members, administrators, employees, as well as campus recruiters, alumni, contractors, or vendors
• against an NYU law student by any person, whether a member of the Law School community or not

The goal of an informal approach is to attempt to reach a resolution that is acceptable to all parties. It provides a means to address concerns without formal investigation, discipline, castigation, or even blame.  Informal measures prioritize educational and conciliatory approaches over adversarial confrontation and contestation of facts. Informal measures also have greater flexibility to maintain the parties’ anonymity or privacy, as described in Section III above. A participant in informal measures may terminate it at any time and, if the complaint involves an alleged rule violation, elect to proceed formally. 

A. Initiating informal measures. 

A student may initiate the informal process by email, phone call, or an in-person meeting as follows. 

Any issue may be raised with Dean of Students or any member of the Office of Student Affairs or Office of Graduate Affairs. If a concern falls into one of following categories, a student might also elect to contact the office or representatives listed below: 

1. Bias, discrimination, inclusion and belonging
   (a) The Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion. 
   (b) Any faculty, staff, or administrative member of the Inclusion and Diversity Committee directly, or by emailing diversity@mercury.law.nyu.edu. The IDC is composed of the Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, the Director of the Lawyering program, three clinical and podium faculty members that are appointed for annual terms, and three student representatives (who are appointed by the SBA). Specific members of the current committee can be identified by requesting the name and contact information of committee members from any member of the committee, or by emailing diversity@mercury.law.nyu.edu or DeansOffice@mercury.law.nyu.edu.
2. Academic integrity
   (a) The Academic Services Office
   (b) The Vice Dean of Curriculum
3. General student conduct
   (a) The Office of Student Affairs or the Office of Graduate Affairs, as pertinent
4. Institutional practices
   (a) Pertinent offices (see Section II)

B. What happens next

Informal measures allow an institutional response tailored to the nature of the concern or complaint and the needs of the persons involved. They aim to provide a space to hear concerns and address them as collaboratively and beneficially, for all parties, as possible. Some issues or concerns may even be addressed without any investigation into the factual basis, such as when a student seeks a referral to supportive campus services or a well-advised change in a campus policy or practice. 

The informal approach may thus include: 

• dialogue with affected persons (either jointly or separately)
• referrals to campus services
• administrative accommodations (such as adjusting class schedules, changing sections, housing assignments, waiving a fee, etc.)
• voluntary mediation
•  verbal cautions or warnings
•  voluntary apology or acts of service
•  collaborative agreement on behavioral or institutional changes
• voluntary educational, mentoring or coaching sessions
• added institutional programming or services
• other non-disciplinary interventions

C. Privacy.

In the course of using informal measures to address issues, concerns, or complaints, advice or input may be sought from relevant parties, including the: Law School Dean, Dean of Students, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Chair of the Inclusion and Diversity Committee, Vice Dean for Intellectual Life, Assistant Dean for Academic Services and Registration, and Vice Dean for Curriculum.  

Informal measures will generally seek to respect and preserve the privacy and confidentiality of the parties involved, although disclosures may be made as appropriate under the circumstances.