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Any ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ System of Georgia (ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ) student or employee aggrieved by a final decision of a ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ institution may apply to the ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ System Office of Legal Affairs (USO Legal Affairs) for a review of the decision subject to the parameters set forth below. Review of the decision is not a matter of right, but is within the sound discretion of USO Legal Affairs. USO Legal Affairs may issue guidelines governing the process for review.

Applications from ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ students are permitted for final institution decisions other than decisions on admissions (including program admissions), residency, student grades, and traffic citations, as the final decision on those matters rests with the President of the institution at which the appeal is heard. Applications from ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ employees are limited to instances in which an employee is terminated, demoted, or otherwise disciplined in a manner that results in a loss of pay. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an application may be reviewed if (1) the record suggests that a miscarriage of justice might reasonably occur if the application is not reviewed; or, (2) the record suggests that the institutional decision, if not reviewed, might reasonably have detrimental and system-wide significance.

Each application for review shall be submitted in writing to USO Legal Affairs within 20 calendar days following the final institution decision. USO Legal Affairs may, in its discretion, deny the application for review or refer the application a Committee composed of the following USO administrators or a designee of each administrator: the chief legal officer, who shall serve as the Chair of the Committee; the chief academic officer; the chief operating officer, the chief human resources officer; the chief student affairs officer; and any other person or persons deemed appropriate by the Committee. Upon referral, the Committee shall review the application and take any action that it deems appropriate.

The decisions of the USO Legal Affairs and the Committee shall be final and binding for all purposes. There shall be no recourse to the Chancellor or the Board of Regents from such decision; provided, however, that the Board of RegentsÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ™ Committee on Organization and Law retains the authority to make an exception to this policy in its discretion. USO Legal Affairs shall periodically report to the Committee on Organization and Law regarding applications for discretionary review filed and their dispositions.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed to extend to any party substantive or procedural rights not required by federal or state law or any expectation of employment, admission, or additional due process rights. This policy is not part of due process rights afforded to students or employees of the ÖгöÉÙ¸¾ÊÓƵ System; any such rights have been fully afforded upon the final institution decision. The Board of Regents reserves the right to change this policy at any time and to make such changes effective retroactively to any pending application.