Key Participants in the Petition Process...

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Student: 

The individual who initiates the petition process.  

Student responsibilities:

1. Obtain the required petition form with a copy of Instructions for Supporting Documentation.
2. Legibly and completely fill out the petition form.
3. When necessary, meet with the faculty member, advisor, or dean to further discuss the nature of the petition.
4. Obtain all required signatures on the petition form.
5. Supply any documentation that would support the petition request when submitting the petition for review.
6. Once all necessary signatures are obtained and supporting documents are attached, take your petition to you academic college dean for processing and forwarding to the Curriculum & Registration Office.
7. During the review process, supply any additional documentation the University General Petitions Committee requests, in a timely manner, thus allowing the Committee to render an informed and fair decision in a reasonable time.

Faculty:

Faculty member(s) who instructed the course(s) that the student is petitioning may be asked to supply information.  

Faculty responsibilities:

1. In a timely manner, read the student's petition completely, including any attached supporting documentation.
2. If necessary, meet with the student to further discuss the nature of the petition.
3. Give a recommendation (for approval, for denial, or for consideration) on the petition.
4. Sign and date the petition.
5. Submit documentation to support the student's request based on the Instructions for Supporting Documentation.  This information should be supplied on university letterhead with signature affixed.  When instructor information is given, it should be based on instructor's course records and supplied by the instructor.  If the instructor is not available, then after checking instructor's records, the information may be verified by the course supervisor or the Department Head.

Access the University's online phone book to find contact information for teaching faculty.

Dean:  

The Dean is the student's academic college dean or dean's representative.  In some cases, an advisor represents the college dean.  To ensure graduation requirements throughout the academic career, a student's college dean may be involved in any number of decisions affecting the student. 

Dean responsibilities:

1. Date stamping the petition form when received.  This will assist in recording the average length of time to process a petition and aid in setting new standards to expedite the entire process. 
2. Read the student's petition completely, including any attached supporting documentation, in a timely manner.
3. If necessary, meet with the student to further discuss the nature of the petition.
4. Give a recommendation supplying reasoning used to make the recommendation (for approval, for denial, or for consideration) on the petition; sign and date the petition.
5. Attach additional documentation which may be available regarding student's request.
6. Use the check list form of the Instructions for Supporting Documentation to ensure the required documentation is supplied.
7. Refuse to accept a petition until student supplies required documentation.

Locate a college dean or dean's representative -- Listing is specifically for the petition process.

University Petitions Committee:

A committee comprised of university teaching faculty who review and render decisions on general petitions.  Names of members of the committee are kept confidential and members do not meet or communicate with students in the petitions process.  

Committee responsibilities:

1. Completely read a student's petition, including any supporting documentation.
2. Give his/her recommendation (for approval or denial) taking into consideration the recommendation made by both the faculty and the dean.
3. Return the petition to the University Petitions Committee chair (in some cases to the chair's assistant).

Committee Chair:  

Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:

1. Fulfill responsibilities of a committee member.
2. Receive petitions from the Curriculum & Registration Office after they have been processed by the college dean and information concerning the petition from Curriculum & Registration Office has been attached.
3. Log in and out petitions so their location is known.
4. Contact the student when additional documentation is requested by a committee member.  (In most cases, the Chair's assistant will assume this responsibility.)
5. Circulate the petitions to the committee members so they can record their vote and indicate a reason which supports their vote.
6. Forward reviewed petitions to the Curriculum & Registration Office where students are notified of the results and petitions are processed and stored. 
7. Meet with student to discuss the decision in instances where a petition is denied if the student requests a meeting.  Requests to schedule a meeting, for denied petitions, can be emailed to Dr. Bill Conway at petition@email.arizona.edu.
8. Try to prevent reoccurrence of errors made when a petition is approved based on university error.
9. Appoint new members to the committee with the approval of the Vice President for Undergraduate Education.

The University Petitions Committee's decision on reviewed petitions is final.

Curriculum & Registration:

Staff members within the Office of Curriculum & Registration assist in the general petition process.

Staff responsibilities:

1. Receive the general petitions directly from the college dean's offices.
2. Research and provide any additional Curriculum & Registration (C&R) documentation that may pertain to the petition.  For example, attach a photocopy of the official grade sheet and/or copy of the Registration Change of Schedule (Drop/Add) form to the petition.  A transcript is always attached.
3. Forward the general petition with any additional C & R documentation to the University  General Petitions Committee for review.
4. Receive reviewed petitions from the University General Petitions Committee.
5. Process the reviewed petitions after a final decision has been made.
6. Notify student of the decision made by the University General Petitions Committee.

Doctors, Psychologist, Campus Health:

When there are medical reasons for filing a petition, the student's doctor, psychologist, or even the Campus Health Center may play an important role in providing information.

Responsibilities:

• Provide a statement of debilitation caused by medical problem and its effects of student's ability to function as student.  Include dates of treatment.
• Upon request from the student, provide copies of medical records.

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