Grade Appeal Procedures

If a student disagrees with a grade which has been given in a particular course, and it has been determined that the grade recorded was not in error, the student may initiate the grade appeal process. A student’s final grade may not be raised by doing additional assignments after the course has concluded or by revising previously submitted assignments.

  1. Informal discussion between student and instructor. If the discussion results in a grade change, a grade change request form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the instructor. If the matter is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student is referred to the program director/coordinator for major courses and the Assistant Dean of General Education for general education courses.
  2. Informal discussion between student and program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education. The student should informally discuss the matter with the program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education, depending on whether the course is in a major or in general education. The director/coordinator or assistant dean should discuss the concern with the instructor. If the discussions result in a grade change, a grade change request form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the instructor. If the matter is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student is informed that there is a formal appeal procedure. The first informal contact with the program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education must be before the end of the semester following the semester in which the grade was earned.
  3. Formal discussion between student, instructor, and program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education. The program director/coordinator/assistant dean of general education should arrange a meeting to discuss the matter with the student and instructor together. If this discussion results in a grade change, a grade change request form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the instructor. The student should be informed in writing of this decision. If the matter is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student should be informed in writing of this decision, along with options available to the student.
  4. Student appeal in writing to program coordinator or assistant dean of general education. This written appeal must be made within ten working days of the written notification of the student by the program director coordinator or assistant dean of general education of the outcome of the formal discussions. Within ten working days of the student’s appeal, the program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education must inform the instructor of the appeal and provide a copy of the student’s appeal. The instructor has ten working days to provide a written explanation of the student’s grade. The program director coordinator or assistant dean of general education has ten working days to convene a departmental meeting (without the instructor or student present) to review the case and come to a decision based on the student’s written appeal and the instructor’s written response. The program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education will inform the student of the departmental decision in writing, with copies to the instructor and the School Dean. If the decision results in a grade change, the program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education will submit a grade change request to the Registrar’s Office with a copy of his/her response to the student attached.
  5. Student appeal in writing to the School Dean. If the decision of the department is not to the student’s satisfaction, the student may appeal the decision to the Dean of the School in which the course is housed. This appeal must be made in writing, within ten working days of the program director/coordinator or assistant dean of general education letter to the student. The School Dean shall investigate carefully and render a decision in writing within thirty days, which shall be final.
  6. Cases involving the program director/coordinator. In any case where the instructor is the program director/coordinator or department chair, another member of the program or department will serve in the role of the program director/coordinator or department chair in these proceedings.