Grade Appeal

A student who believes that the grade he/she has received in any subject is in error should initiate the procedure outlined below. If the student is dissatisfied with the response at any step, he/she should proceed to the next specified step within two weeks following the issuance of the unfavorable response.

Step 1: The student should discuss the case with the instructor before the third week of the next regular semester following the one in which he/she received the grade. The instructor will issue his/her response in writing to the student.

Step 2: If not satisfied with the instructor's response, the student should submit a written appeal to the instructor giving a rationale for the grade change and providing supporting information. The instructor will issue his/her response in writing to the student.

Step 3: If not satisfied with the instructor's response, the student should submit the written appeal and supporting evidence to the chair of the division offering the course in question. If the division chair is the instructor, the VPAA will appoint 3 teaching faculty within the division to hear the student's appeal. The decision is final with no further appeal.

The hearing of the appeal will proceed as follows:

1. The division chair will form an Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will consist of three teaching faculty members who, in the opinion of the division chair, are competent to evaluate the appeal and the subject matter of the course.
2. The committee will designate one of its members to serve as the chair. The chair will monitor the hearings, rule on procedure, and communicate the findings of the committee to the student and college officials. The division chair will be one of the three members, unless that person is the instructor against whom the grievance has been brought. Both the student and the faculty member must be present at the presentation of the appeal to the committee.
3. In a case where the faculty member against whom the grievance is made cannot be contacted due to change in employment, death, etc., the vice president for academic affairs will be empowered to take the place of the faculty member and will change the course grade if the Appeals Committee decides in favor of the student. Both the student and the faculty member may have counsel at the hearing. The case must be decided by a majority vote within the semester during which the appeal is initiated. The decisions of the Appeals Committee are final and binding. They will be communicated to the student in writing by the chair of the Appeals Committee with copies sent to the faculty member, the VPAA, and the Registrar.