Students have the right to expect Relay to uphold its policies and to administer them accurately and equitably. Relay recognizes that students sometimes encounter circumstances beyond their control that can adversely affect their academic progress. Students may, under extraordinary circumstances, request an exception in writing to an existing policy. All policies can be found in the student handbook, academic programs guide, and academic catalog; policies govern procedures and decision-making across the institution. If a student wishes to request an exception to a policy, they may do so in writing through the Policy Exception Review Committee (PERC) intake form. The committee is chaired by the provost of teacher preparation. The PERC membership consists of five voting members selected by the provost, and three non-voting members—the registrar, the director of student financial services, and the vice-provost of student affairs and student services.

PERC decision-makers have the authority to make exceptions to Relay policies based on a number of variables including, but not limited to, student’s individual circumstances, regulatory requirements, and additional context of the circumstances; the committee does not have the authority to make exceptions to local, state, or federal regulations, including exceptions to certification requirements. Decisions are based upon maintaining the academic integrity of the institution and alignment with accrediting agencies. PERC decisions are final and are ineligible for appeal through any other entity within Relay.

Procedure for Policy Exceptions

If a student wishes to request a policy exception, they must first meet with their advisor to discuss the request and determine if there are alternative possibilities to meet the student’s needs. If no satisfactory alternative exists, the student may submit the Policy Exception and Administrative Withdrawal Appeal form. The student should provide all relevant information and associated context as clearly as possible in support of their request, as well as a reference to the specific policy being appealed, in order to determine eligibility of the request. Students may reach out to their advisor for assistance in submitting a request. 

Upon receipt, the Policy Exception Review Committee will gather additional information (e.g., AmeriCorps implications, certification implications, etc.) from the student’s advisor as well as any other relevant teams. At times, committee members may determine that a resolution does not require an exception and/or a decision has already been made; in cases like this, a decision will be rendered based on existing policy or precedent. If the committee does need to convene to review the appeal, they will do so, and the student will be notified via their Relay student email within 10 business days of the outcome and any associated next steps. 

Please note, students’ grade appeals, grievances, and program dismissal appeals are not under the purview of this committee. Please reference those policies for additional information.