I need subpoena for college records, help please!

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CSUstudent

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I am a (former CSU Long Beach) student. I have received a improperly low GPA. I found out about this after I graduated and looked at the GPA they calculated for me. Anyway, I filled a "petition for exception to academic policy" -- some procedure they made up (it's not authorized anywhere, but they can undertake any procedures they like at the university it seems). The petition was (predictably) denied. But there were other issues too, and other petitions I'd have to make, (because they refuse to address but one issue per petition, but they would not even accept the petition) and threw them back at me, stating that the petitions are automatically denied because I had "already graduated." (I wasn't even allowed to file them.) They claim that there is a policy not to make any changes to a student's academic record after they have graduated, no matter how soon after. (Actually, there is no such "policy" written down anywhere, but I don't know if that matters -- you'd think it would.)

So my only recourse is that I had to file a "Petition for Writ of Mandate" in the superior court, and that is where I am right now. PLEASE NOTE; I am challenging their "policies" not their discretion, per se. So this is an "ORDINARY MANDAMUS" proceeding. (Also, because it was determined that there was no "hearing" offered to me, for this reason also this had been determined to be a proceeding in "ordinary mandamus.")

I don't know much about the law, but I understand that I need the "administrative records." The university did return to me carbon copies of the actual petition forms I have filed with them, with one paragraph statement telling me that "because I have already graduated there can be no further consideration of my academics... blah, blah" and they signed the statements "Dr. So-and-so, Academic Appeals Committee." I would guess that these signed statements would be sufficient "record" for the trial/writ proceeding. But I want to subpoena the actual record so Judge has the actual documents from THEIR records, so he can compare the carbon copy documents I provide in my brief to to originals in the official "administrative record."

I had to go for a "case management" statement the other day, and I really wanted to ask him for a subpoena, to get the records. But because I was not sure of what I wanted, and because he was yelling (and not just at me, he yelled at everyone), I was too intimidated to ask. Further, I understand that the "Clerk" can give me the subpoena I need? Right? But I later asked the Clerk for a subpoena and she just told me she didn't know what I was talking about. So it must be some other kind of "Clerk" somewhere that I need to see.

Can anyone help me understand how I get the subpoena I need from the "Clerk?"

I also might want to make a few interrogatories, or get a couple of admissions.

I told the judge that I would have my "brief" ready in 2 weeks, March 10th.

The CSU Long Beach attorney said she would need 20 days. Then I get 10 days for a final response to her reply, April 10th. And the oral argument will be conducted on April 22nd.

I can tell you there won't be much in the record other than what I have carbon copies of. But still, I think I should present a bound "record" to the Judge. I won't be able to give reference to the bound record in my brief, because they won't have that to me until after my brief is filed. But the bound record should, I imagine, provide the Judge with some confidence that my carbon copies are valid.

Again, all I am attacking is their "policy" (if there even is one) that says they are not to make changes to my academic record after I graduate (where everything we are considering occurred BEFORE I graduated). I think that is just about all I can attack in this matter! Again, they even refused to consider the matter I petitioned them about (regarding my grades and their accounting practices), telling me that since I had already graduated, they would NOT make any changes to my academic record, petition DENIED. (They did send me a couple of photocopied pages out of the college catalog, but these stated policy on students that "repeat" courses AFTER the date of graduation, and the policy is that after a student graduates a repeated course will not serve to nullify a D or F grade previously received in the same course... NOT AT ALL THE SITUATIONS I PRESENTED TO THEM.)

That's pretty much the whole story.

Please, anyone with any knowledge about obtaining subpoenas, administrative records, interrogatories, admissions... please comment here. Let me know what the steps are I must undertake.

Thank you,
CSU Student.
 
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