If a petition is denied by the Committee on Academic Standing (CAS) students may appeal to the Dean of Advising, Dr. Monique Rinere, requesting that the decision be overturned.

Students should note, however, that overturning a CAS decision requires new or additional information that was not previously available to the Committee and therefore did not figure in the Committee’s decision making.

To consider appealing the decision of the Committee, students must first meet with Dr. Andrew Plaa, chair of the Committee on Academic Standing, in order to discuss the committee’s reason for denying the original petition.

A letter of appeal can then be submitted to Dean Rinere, within ten business days of receiving the petition decision, which clearly includes the following information:

• Name, class standing, Columbia email address
• The nature of the appeal, i.e. the exception requested
• The date that the original petition was submitted and denied.
• The information that is new and additional to the original CAS petition
• A copy of the original petition

The letter may be hand delivered to 403 Lerner Hall or emailed.

Students will then meet with Dr. Rinere to discuss the appeal and the appeal process. The time it takes to determine the outcome of an appeal varies from case to case.  Most appeals are concluded within seven business days.