Academic Information

GRADING

All grades will be given as a numerical percentage from 0 - 100%. Numerical percentages will not be converted into an alphabetical grading system. Transcripts will reflect the numerical percentage given in a course at semester's end.

Courses taken for credit without a grade ("Pass/Fail") will be reflected on the transcript as either Pass or Fail and will not factor into the cumulative numerical percentage.

A total numerical percentage will be given for courses taken each semester and a cumulative numerical percentage will be given for all courses taken at Cal Northern.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Attendance: Cal Northern School of Law is for those students who want to become lawyers. Attendance is not only required but is a measure of desire and motivation. Students are required to attend eighty percent (80%) of scheduled classes. A student who fails to attend the required 80% is considered to have an unsatisfactory attendance record and may be asked to withdraw from school. A student who misses three class periods of a course in one semester without permission of the Dean is subject to automatic withdrawal from school. The policy of the school allows the Dean to approve absences in case of illness or emergency.

Examinations: Final examinations are given at the end of each semester. Mid-terms are given in all bar courses. Instructors of non-bar courses may, at their discretion, give mid-term examinations. Each instructor will announce his/her grading policy at the beginning of the semester.

Probation: A numerical percentage of 70 is required for good standing and graduation. A student who earns a semester grade point average below 70 will be placed on academic warning. A student who has a cumulative numerical percentage below 70 at the end of an academic year may be advanced to the next year of study on probation under the following circumstances:

1. The student must petition the Dean for advancement on probation.
2. Advancement on probation will be granted for only one year, and once granted the student must thereafter maintain at least a 70 average.
3. The minimum numerical percentage for advancement on probation is:

• From first year to second year . . .68
• From second year to third year. . .69

A student who fails to maintain the average requirement will be academically disqualified. Upon approval of a timely petition to the Faculty Senate a student may be permitted to repeat coursework and continue their studies at Cal Northern.

Mandatory Writing Workshops: At the end of the Fall semester any student with a cumulative semester GPA of less than 70.00 will be placed on Academic Warning and will be required to attend three (3) Mandatory Issue Recognition and Analysis Workshops. Students must earn a score of 70 or better on all assignments in order to receive credit for the workshops. Eligibility to advance to the next year of study may be contingent upon your attendance (absent extenuating circumstances which will be reviewed by the Dean on a case by case basis). The workshops will be held on the first Saturday in February, March and April from 9:00a.m. to Noon subject to instructor availability.

These workshops are designed to help develop essay exam skills such as issue spotting, outlining, organization and factual analysis and are open to all students.

FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENTS EXAMINATION- "BABY BAR"

All "Special Students" are required to take the First Year Law Students Examination (FYLSX). A "Special Student" who is required to take the FYLSX shall not receive credit for any law study until the applicant has passed the examination. A "Special Student" who passes the examination within three consecutive administrations of first becoming eligible to take the examination upon completion of one year of law study, shall receive credit for all law study completed to the date of the administration of the examination passed. A "Special Student" who does not pass the examination within three consecutive administrations of first becoming eligible to take the examination but who subsequently passes the examination shall receive credit for his or her first year of law study only.

Cal Northern School of Law policy requires that all first year "Regular Students" who do not have cumulative numerical percentage of 70 or better after the Fall semester of study at Cal Northern, must register to take the FYLSX.

If the student's cumulative numerical percentage is less than 70 at the end of the Spring semester, the student is required to take the FYLSX. If the student's cumulative numerical percentage increases to 70 or better by the end of the Spring semester, the student is not required to take the FYLSX.

A "Regular Student" who is required by school policy to take the FYLSX and who does not pass on the first attempt, may be permitted to advance to the second year of study at Cal Northern on academic probation. The student is required to register and take the next scheduled FYLSX.

Any student who fails to pass on the third attempt will be academically disqualified from further attendance at Cal Northern School of Law.

The fees paid to the Committee of Bar Examiners to register for the FYLSX may not be refundable. Any student who is required by Cal Northern policy to register for the FYLSX but is not required by Cal Northern policy to take the examination, may lose the registration fee. This fee is not reimbursable by Cal Northern School of Law.

First year students must check with Admissions no later than February 1 of their first year of study to determine whether they are required under this policy to register for the FYLSX.

DEGREE

Students are eligible for the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.) when they have completed a minimum of 84 semester units in accordance with the law school's prescribed curriculum; maintained a cumulative numerical percentage average of 70 or better throughout their study at the law school and attended Kaplan's PMBR 6-Day Foundation Multistate Bar Review program prior to graduation.

HONOR SYSTEM

All examinations given at Cal Northern School of Law shall be conducted under the Honor System. The Honor System is hereby defined as follows:

1. Each student participating in any mid-term, final, or other examination given by any of the instructors at the law school shall be on his or her honor not to bring outlines, notes, or other materials into the examination room during the time in which the student takes the examination.
2. No student shall protect other students seeking assistance, either oral or written, during the examination.

ETHICAL STANDARDS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

Standards have been developed which define expectations Cal Northern School of Law has of its students; other policies have been implemented which address student rights and the procedures students may use to exercise those rights.

For Student Handbook Click Here: StudentHandbook.pdf