The office also provides informal and student-centered issue-resolution services and offers guidance, information, and assistance when regular channels have failed to provide graduate students with the information they need to solve problems. Students can rely on the Office of Graduate Student Services to assist them with the following:

• Graduate student rights or responsibilities
• When students feel that a policy, procedure, or regulation has been applied unfairly or erroneously and requires clarification
• To obtain information about how and when to file an appeal, or when there are other routes available without the full appeal process to settle particular issues
• When students have a complaint about an office or service concerning graduate student issues at UNLV
• When they are unsure of where to go or what options are available with respect to some aspect of graduate studies

Student cases are transferred or closed if or when:

• A student is abusive, threatening, behaving erratically, or is considered otherwise unmanageable or dangerous. University Police Services will be called immediately in any situation in which its assistance may be beneficial or required. The case will then be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
• There are accusations of academic dishonesty or other academic issues. Students will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. If there are allegations of illegality, harassment or abuse, students will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
• Through consultation with the dean’s office, it becomes clear that the matter has significant legal ramifications and should be handled at a higher level.
• Issues cannot be resolved without a Graduate College appeal, in which case the appeal must be submitted through the appropriate channels for review by the assistant dean; dean; and, under some circumstances, a committee of the Graduate Council composed of graduate faculty.

Please note, the Office of Graduate Student Services does not provide legal counsel. The office can direct graduate students to the sections of the Nevada System of Higher Education codes and Graduate Catalog that apply to their particular questions or situations. This service is intended to provide graduate students with an alternate source of information, clarification, and guidance in order to produce quality customer service for our graduate and professional students. The office will strive to provide friendly, knowledgeable assistance that helps resolve issues and challenges graduate and professional students may face, and to do so in ways that are empowering and productive in order to avoid escalation into more serious problems.