College of Arts and Sciences Grade Appeal Policy and Process
Purpose
The College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office acknowledges that students have the right to challenge the means by which a course grade was determined by an instructor. The following policy and processes have been established for grade appeals.
Scope
School/College/Department Policy
Definitions
Policy
Grade appeals apply exclusively to situations in which a student disputes the process by which a grade was determined by an instructor. Appeals must be filed within six weeks of the beginning of the following fall or spring semester in which the course was completed. Appeals will not be processed during academic holidays or during summer break. The process for conducting an appeal involves the following steps.
Grade Appeal Process
- Students seeking to appeal a grade must first meet with the course instructor who
issued the grade. The instructor will then review the process by which the grade was
determined. If, following the review, the instructor concludes that the original grade
was not accurately assigned, a change of grade form will be submitted and the student
will be informed. If, following the review, the instructor determines that the original
grade is correct, an explanation as to how the grade was determined will be provided
for the student.
- If, after completing the first step, a student wishes to continue the appeal, the
process will be taken to the departmental chair. The student is required to provide
the chair with the reason for the appeal. The chair will meet separately with the
student and the instructor, reviewing all relevant materials. As part of the decision
making process, the chair may seek the opinion of additional faculty members with
expertise relevant to the course in which the student was enrolled. The chair will
then make a decision regarding the appropriateness of the grade. If the chair concludes
that the original grade is incorrect, the instructor will be told to submit a change
of grade form for the student. The change of grade form may be submitted by the chair
if the instructor fails to do so in a timely manner. If the chair concludes that the
original grade is correct, the student and instructor will be informed.
- The decision of the department chair is final. If the student maintains that proper
procedures for appeal have not been followed, the student may take the matter to the
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences within four months of when the final grade
in the course was received. The chair will then provide all relevant materials to
the Dean.
- Appeal of the department chair decision: The only review of the departmental chair decision on the grade appeal will be performed by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Dean’s review of the departmental chair decision is limited to the following inquiry: Did the chair comply with their departments own stated procedure for rendering a decision? The Dean shall not review the substance of the committee decision. The Dean shall not substitute his/her judgment on the merits of the decision. However, should the Dean find that the chair did not comply with stated procedures, an ad hoc committee will be constituted to review.
Responsible Offices
College of Arts and Sciences
Approval
Approved
Approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences on October 2, 2019
Effective Date
October 2nd, 2019