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College of Arts and Sciences

Grade Appeal Policy

On occasion, a student may feel that her or his academic work submitted during a class was not appropriately measured. This appeal process is created for those situations and limited to appeals based upon non-compliance with the syllabus or arbitrary and capricious grading.

An appeal to the pedagogy or competency of a professor is beyond appeal.

Perceived violations related to issues outside of a grade appeal are heard outside of the Department of Religion.

The following process should be completed as soon as possible following a grade submission. In no instance may this appeal extend beyond six weeks of the next fall or spring semester. Appeals will not be processed during academic holidays or summer break. The student should be informed that a review can result in a grade reduction as well as a higher grade.

Process for the Department of Religion:

  1. The appellant will first contact the professor of record in person and provide explanation of the appeal. The appellant should provide documents as evidence. No outside representative or advocate for the appellant will be admitted to the conversation between the appellant and the professor. If a conversation between the two parties does not lead to resolution, the professor of record shall provide for the appellant a letter articulating his/her position. No further negotiation between the appellant and the professor of record is required.
  2. If the appellant remains dissatisfied with the response of the professor of record, she/he may present the same evidence, along with the letter from the professor of record, to the Chair of the Department of Religion. The Chair forwards the appeal to the grade appeal subcommittee, which consists of three members of the Department (all tenured, at least one from JCST), appointed by the Chair. Neither the professor of record or an outside representative or advocate for the appellant shall be a member of this subcommittee, nor shall either party be permitted to attend this subcommittee’s meetings or deliberations. The grade appeal subcommittee shall review all of the evidence including the letters from the professor of record and the materials from the appellant. The grade appeal subcommittee will determine a final outcome and present this in letter form to the appellant, the professor of record, and the Chair.
  3. An appeal of the subcommittee’s decision will be referred to the Dean’s Office of the College of Arts and Sciences.