College Rescinding Degree

[dunscaft]

University Ombudsman.

Then get a lawyer involved if there is no movement.

Thank you for your suggestion. The associate registrar told me she is going to have a meeting with the senior staff regarding my case next week. Hopefully it won't be necessary.

 

[justalayman]

Ok. Now it's becoming clearer.


This just got immeasurably more difficult.

Your only argument at this point is:

You had no reason to believe the registrar did not have the authority to override the department chair. If you had reason to believe the registrar had such authority then you argue they made the call and rescinding it now causes irreparable harm


If you had any reason to believe the department had the final say, it's real simple: you lose


With that said, any time I have attended college or university it was clear the degree was awarded by the college/school (for understanding sake: the department) and not the administration or university. A school or college is generally considered an independent entity within a university. The general university adminstration is, for lack of a better definition, the coordinators of the schools within the university.

 

[dunscaft]

Obviously I misunderstood your statement as to what changed.

You said the audit showed you had completed the requirements needed so, either there are now different requirements or there was an error on your audit or you met the requirements listed.

The audit showed I had completed the needed requirements. The degree audit did not have the correct requirements for my program.

I understand your point about me not being due the degree: this is why it was rescinded.

My actual problem at this point is that not being due a degree and having a degree rescinded are NOT the same thing. I made plans based on having a degree. I am trying to get into a nursing program and without the degree it will be difficult for me to get in. With the degree it was very likely. I spent time and money taking classes at another school that I would not have if the degree audit was correct.

My school made a mistake. When I make mistakes I pay for them. When my school makes a mistake I pay for it too?

 

[dunscaft]

If you had any reason to believe the department had the final say, it's real simple: you lose

Yes, this appears to be the case. The associate registrar told me she rescinded my degree because "only departments can award degrees" and "I must reflect the wishes of your department."

Apparently both the registrar and the department have a say. If either of them say no, I should not get a degree. They must both say yes for me to get a degree. I now believe the general thrust is that the registrar reviews the general education requirements (having above a 2.0 gpa, having 120 credits, taking general ed classes, etc.) while the department reviews the program requirements. Regardless of the mechanisms... both of them are supposed to approve a student for a degree to be awarded. The approval of each is individually necessary and jointly sufficient to be awarded a degree.

not being due a degree and having a degree rescinded are NOT the same thing. I made plans based on having a degree. I am trying to get into a nursing program and without the degree it will be difficult for me to get in. With the degree it was very likely. I spent time and money taking classes at another school that I would not have if the degree audit was correct.

My school made a mistake. When I make mistakes I pay for them. When my school makes a mistake I pay for it too?

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Issues like this can sometimes be corrected as long as you have taken the appropriate credit hours. I know of a family member who worked part time, raised 2 children and due to retaking classes missed the GPA requirement by a fraction of a point. A quick meeting with the department head resulted in one retake grade being erased and the GPA meeting requirements. Now of course they allow as many retakes as you need and only count the highest at most colleges.

 

[dunscaft]

After asking to speak with the Office of the General Counsel, the University reviewed my case in light of the advising I had received and the Registrar's Office let me know that my degree will stand and they will send me a new official transcript reflecting my conferred degree.

Hopefully this is now behind me!