Preface

Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies contains the policies and regulations of the Rackham Graduate School. These policies have been established by the Rackham Executive Board to ensure consistent standards across Rackham programs in admissions, registration, degree requirements, and the awarding of degrees.

The University of Michigan is a decentralized institution, and responsibilities for graduate programs are shared with the schools, colleges, and departments. Departments, schools and colleges have requirements and rules specific to their graduate programs. While limited to Rackham's policies, this guide provides links to the University of Michigan's academic policies and regulations that apply to all programs, schools, and colleges of the University. Students are expected to be familiar not only with Rackham's policies, but also with those of the University as well as those specific to their own degree programs.

The authoritative version of Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies is updated annually and published on the web. It will also be available in printed form. In the event of any discrepancy, the version published on the Rackham website is the authoritative version. Each new edition is archived.

This edition of Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies was written by Assistant Dean John Godfrey, with help from staff members of the Rackham Graduate School. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Students, faculty and staff may send comments to Rackham.policies@umich.edu.

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Fundamental Tenets of Membership in the University Community

The University of Michigan is a community devoted to learning. Members of our community advance, preserve, and transmit knowledge through study, teaching, artistic expression, research, and scholarship. As a public university, we have a special obligation to serve the public interest.

All who join the University community gain important rights and privileges and accept equally important responsibilities. We believe in free expression, free inquiry, intellectual honesty, and respect for the rights and dignity of others. We respect the autonomy of each person's conscience in matters of conviction, religious faith, and political belief. We affirm the importance of maintaining high standards of academic and professional integrity. In defining the rights we enjoy and the responsibilities we bear, we must keep those basic principles in mind.

All members of the University have civil rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Because the search for knowledge is our most fundamental purpose, the University has an especially strong commitment to preserve and protect freedom of thought and expression. Reasoned dissent plays a vital role in the search for truth; and academic freedom, including the right to express unpopular views, is a cherished tradition of universities everywhere. All members of the University have the right to express their own views and hear the views of others expressed, but they must also take responsibility for according the same rights to others. We seek a University whose members may express themselves vigorously while protecting and respecting the rights of others to learn, to do research, and to carry out the essential functions of the University free from interference or obstruction.

Adopted by the Senate Assembly, June 18, 1990

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