Petition Guidelines
Guidelines for Submitting Petitions
Graduate students may submit a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies for an exception to University policies and regulations. Petitions are intended to afford students the opportunity to deal with circumstances beyond their control that would penalize them unfairly.

The four most common types of petitions are:
  1. Petition for an extension of time-to-degree. University policy allows consideration of this type of petition under extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control. Master’s candidates may petition for extension of the 7-year time-to-degree only in the last semester of the seventh year. The Senate Graduate Committee hears these petitions. Doctoral students may request extension of the five-year time-to-degree; the petition must include a proposed completion date and a timeline indicating the planned steps the student will take to meet the new completion date. The Dean of Graduate Studies hears these petitions. When approved, the extension is usually only for one additional semester.
  2. Re-instatement following missed semesters of 599 (Thesis) or 699 (Dissertation). Due to the continuous enrollment policy, restoration of semesters where there has been a break in registration for these courses must be petitioned. A letter from the faculty advisor that identifies the course name, section number and a grade for each missed semester (e.g., Hist 699-021 – Spring 2001, PR) will be included. If approved, the student will pay tuition and fees for each reinstated semester before the grades are added to the transcript.
  3. Re-admission after suspension: If, after a period of one year, a student suspended for three or more grades of F, I/F, WF or NC wishes to apply for readmission to a graduate unit, he/she must petition the Dean for Graduate Studies before following the readmission procedures. If approved, the student may be readmitted in a probationary status. The period of suspension is generally included in the time limit to complete the degree. Non-degree courses taken while a student is suspended cannot be counted toward degree requirements for a graduate degree.
  4. Petition for a grade change: After a year beyond instructor submission of a grade, a student may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for a grade change. Grades of I/F may be petitioned for up to three years after original registration for the posting of a letter grade (e.g., I/F to I/B+) or up to seven years to change a grade of I/F to W. The Dean of Graduate Studies will recommend approval or denial to the Senate Graduate Committee who will review petitions for grade changes beyond the seven years of original registration. The Senate Graduate Committee will make the final decision, which in any case can only be I/F to W.
Process for Submitting Petitions:
An approved Program of Studies or Application for Candidacy must be on file at the office of Graduate Studies (OGS) prior to submission of a petition. Petitions that are lacking one or more of the required elements described below will be considered incomplete and will not be acted upon until all items have been received.
  1. The student submits a written petition to his/her graduate advisor clearly identifying the policy for which the exception is requested, the reason the student can/did not meet this expectation, and strategies to ensure successful progress (including a timeline).
  2. The petition, along with written graduate advisor support, is then submitted to the student's graduate unit - the faculty director, the chair, departmental graduate committee, and/or college graduate committee.
  3. The petition, along with graduate advisor and department support, is forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies. In certain cases the Dean or his/her designate may ask the Senate Graduate Committee to review the petition and offer its recommendation for approval or disapproval. This recommendation is in an advisory capacity; the decision of the Dean is final.
Response to Petitions
A written response to a petition will usually be sent to the student within two weeks from its receipt by OGS, with a copy sent to the graduate advisor and unit. Inquiries regarding the status of a petition should be directed to Robben Baca, Academic Affairs Specialist at 277-7398 or rbaca@unm.edu.
See a Sample Petition