Grade Appeal Procedure
The following grade appeal procedure applies to the College and the Schools, not the School of Law. The obligation of the instructor to evaluate the performance of students on sound academic grounds is basic to the formal education process. A student who believes the grade awarded him/her by an instructor is based upon reasons other than prohibited discrimination may appeal the grade following the procedures below. A student who believes the grade was on account of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, marital or parental status or sexual orientation may appeal the grade following the University’s procedure for complaints of discrimination.
Consultation with the Instructor. A student must first attempt to resolve his/her dispute concerning the final grade received in a course through consultation with the instructor of the class. Such consultation normally shall take place following award of the grade but in no event shall such consultation take place later than the fourth week of the next regular academic semester following the award of the grade. In the event the course instructor is no longer at the University or is on a leave of absence during the semester following the contested grade or the instructor shall have refused to consult with such student, the student may proceed to the next stage, mediation by the Department Chair (where such exists). If no Department Chair exists, the next stage is mediation by the Dean of the College or School in which the course was offered.
Mediation by the Department Chair. If the student is dissatisfied with the result of his/her consultation with the instructor or the student shall have been unable to meet with the instructor because of the instructor’s refusal to meet or absence, the student may seek mediation of the matter with the Department Chair in the unit in which the course was offered. The Department Chair must be notified in writing by the student of his/her intention to continue the appeal process. Such notification must be received within 10 working days of the day on which the student/instructor consultation has been completed. The process shall be terminated if notification is not received within the 10 working days. The instructor shall make available to his/her Department Chair all of the materials and criteria which entered into the determination of the student’s final grade in the course. The student shall provide the Department Chair, in writing, the grounds for contesting the grade by the instructor. After receiving and reviewing these materials, the Department Chair shall meet with the student and the instructor, either jointly or separately, to attempt to mediate the dispute about the contested grade.
Mediation by the Dean of the College or School in which the course was offered. If the student is dissatisfied with the result of his/her consultation with the instructor or the student shall have been unable to meet with the instructor because of the instructor’s refusal to meet or absence, the student may seek mediation of the matter with the Dean of the College or School in which the course was offered. The Dean must be notified in writing by the student of his/her intention to continue the appeal process. Such notification must be received within 10 working days of the day on which the student/Department Chair consultation has been completed. The process shall be terminated if notification is not received within the 10 working days. The instructor shall make available to his/her Dean all of the materials and criteria which entered into the determination of the student’s final grade in the course. The student shall provide the Dean, in writing, the grounds for contesting the grade by the instructor. After receiving and reviewing these materials, the Dean shall meet with the student and the instructor, either jointly or separately, to attempt to mediate the dispute about the contested grade.
Appeal to Grade Appeal Committee. If, after mediation with the Dean as provided above, the student is still dissatisfied with the result, he/she may file a notice of appeal with the Dean which shall specify the relief requested and provide a written summary of the grounds for appeal to the Grade Appeal Committee. Such notification must be received by the Dean within 10 working days of the day on which the student/instructor consultation has been completed. The process shall be terminated if notification is not received within the 10 working days. Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, the Dean shall forward it and all materials submitted by the instructor and student during the mediation process to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon receipt of the notice and materials, shall appoint and convene a committee of five persons, comprised of three faculty members (two from the same department or area, one faculty from another department or area), and two students, to serve as the Grade Appeal Committee. At its first meeting, the Grade Appeal Committee shall select its chairperson and set the date, time and place for the appeal to be heard. The committee shall advise the student and the instructor of the hearing date.
Hearing. The hearing will take place before the entire Committee. The burden of proof rests with the student who shall, during the course of the hearing on the contested grade, be responsible for presenting evidence to support the claim. The hearing will be informal and the formal rules of evidence shall not be applicable. Oral testimony of witnesses may be presented but is not required. If either the student or the instructor presents witnesses, he/she must provide to the Committee a written summary of the testimony expected of the witness(es) to the committee and to the other party not later than three days prior to the date of the hearing. The student or the instructor may be accompanied by an advisor whose only role in the course of the hearing will be to render advice to the student/instructor. The amount of time allotted to each party will be left to the discretion of the Committee.
Decision. At the close of the hearing the Committee shall meet and determine, by a vote of four out of five of the members, whether the student has proved the relief sought should be awarded for the reasons stated in his/her notice of appeal and the student’s grade changed. The Committee shall report its decision in writing to the student, the instructor and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The decision of the committee shall be final. If it is the judgment of the committee that the grade be changed, then the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall notify the Registrar, who will enter the changed grade which will be initialed by both the Vice President and the Registrar.
