Grade Appeals Policy
Academic grading reflects careful and deliberate judgment by a faculty member instructing a
course. Academic evaluation of student performance requires expert consideration of cumulative
information. Such decision-making, by its nature, is judgmental and evaluative. The evaluative
process is not and should not be likened to the adversarial process involved in disciplinary matters,
for academic grade determination is not adaptable to the methods of judicial or administrative
decision-making. The education process, moreover, is not by nature adversarial, but rather centers
upon a continuing relationship between faculty and student. Administrative interposition, except in
the most extreme instances, is to be avoided. The University recognizes that in rare instances there
may be errors, or "palpable injustice(s)" in determination of a final grade. A student alleging such
error or palpable injustice, i.e. a clear showing of arbitrary or capricious action, may appeal as
provided below:
For the appeal to be considered, the following procedure must be followed and the following
deadlines must be met:
1) First step: meeting with the instructor. First, the student must meet with the instructor by the end
of the second week of classes of the full semester following the semester in which the grade was
awarded. Either the student or the faculty member may request that the initial meeting occur in the
presence of the Department Chairperson. If no meeting with the instructor occurred within the two-week
time limit, the student should provide a statement as to why such a meeting did not occur
within that two-week time limit (along with documentation).
Special cases: The student cannot meet with the instructor because the instructor is
deceased or has left the University and cannot be contacted. In the event that the
instructor is deceased or has left the University and cannot be contacted, the student
should meet directly with the Department Chairperson by the end of the third week of
classes of the full semester following the semester in which the disputed grade was given.
Upon evidence of error, the Department Chairperson may make the appropriate grade
change after consultation with and approval of the Dean of the School. The instructor shall
be notified of the change if notice subsequently can be delivered. The Department
Chairperson shall make a determination and provide written notification to the student
within two weeks of receiving the appeal.
Upon evidence of palpable injustice, the Department Chairperson may make the
appropriate grade change after consultation with and approval of the Dean of the School.
Written notification of the decision shall be made to the student within two weeks of
receiving the appeal.
2) Second step: submit the appeal in writing to the Department Chairperson.
a) If no resolution is achieved between the student and the instructor, the student must submit an
Appeal for Grade Change Packet (“the Packet”) to the Department Chairperson before the end of the
fourth week of classes of the full semester following the semester in which the grade was awarded.
b) The student's Appeal for Grade Change Packet must be in hard copy, and must include:
• An inventory list of materials provided or Table of Contents;
• A completed Appeal for Grade Change form;
• A course syllabus (preferably the one provided to the student at the beginning of the
course);
• A detailed statement explaining why the student believes his/her grade should be changed;
the statement must include, at a minimum:
o a list of the student’s grades in the course;
o a list of changes that should be made to those grades, with explanations;
o an explanation of why those changes would necessitate a change in the course
grade;
• All documents that are necessary to support the student’s position (graded homework
assignments, graded examinations, medical documentation, statements from other students
or faculty, etc.); if some of the student’s work has not been returned to the student by the
instructor, the student should include a list of documents that have not been returned to
him/her.
In the event that statements are provided by other persons than the student seeking the appeal and
the faculty member providing the grade, the contact information for each person should be provided
so the Grade Appeals Review Board may verify, if it wishes, the statements included.
The burden of proof is upon the student to make the case that a palpable injustice or error has
occurred. The student must therefore make as strong a case as possible by including all the required
documents, and by including supporting documents for the claims made. In particular, the student
should be aware that:
• If the student submits a Packet to the Department Chairperson, and the Department
Chairperson deems the Packet to be incomplete, then the Department Chairperson WILL
NOT make a recommendation and WILL NOT forward the Packet to the Dean. Instead, the
Department Chairperson will contact the student to inform him/her that the Packet is
incomplete. In that case, the student will have to pick up the incomplete Packet from the
Department Chairperson and submit a complete Packet within one week of receiving the
Department Chairperson’s notification.
• If the student submits a Packet to the Department Chairperson, and the Department
Chairperson deems the Packet to be complete, then the student WILL NOT have the
opportunity to supplement the Packet, except to respond to a request from the Grade
Appeals Review Board.
• It is the student’s responsibility to submit a complete Packet. The Grade Appeals Review
Board (not the Department Chairperson) is the final arbiter of whether or not a Packet is
complete. The Grade Appeals Review Board reserves the right to ask the student for
additional documents. In that case, the student will have two weeks to submit the
documents; if the student fails to do so, the Grade Appeals Review Board has the right to
deny the appeal as “incomplete”.
Also, the student should be aware that materials submitted will not be returned to him/her;
therefore, he/she should keep copies of all materials.
c) The Department Chairperson must provide the student and instructor with a written
recommendation within two weeks of receiving an Appeal for Grade Change Packet. A grade
change shall be made only with the written consent of the instructor and the Department
Chairperson, except as noted above in the case of an instructor who has died or has left University
employment and cannot be contacted.
d) If the Department Chairperson finds that the appeal has merit, but the instructor disagrees, then
the Department Chairperson shall automatically forward the Appeal for Grade Change Packet
(including all supporting documentation and a copy of the Department Chairperson’s form and
recommendation) to the Dean, within three business days.
e) Under no circumstances shall the Department Chairperson return the original Packet to the
student after the Packet has been accepted as “complete” and a recommendation has been made.
3) Third step: appeal to the Dean.
a) If the Department Chairperson upholds the instructor’s grade, and the student wishes to further
pursue the appeal, the student must inform the Department Chairperson of his/her intention to
pursue the appeal within one week of receiving the Department Chairperson’s written
recommendation. In that case, the Department Chairperson shall forward the Appeal for Grade
Change Packet (including all supporting documentation and a copy of the Department
Chairperson’s form and recommendation) to the Dean, within three business days.
b) The Dean should provide the student, instructor, and Department Chairperson with a written
recommendation within two weeks of receiving an appeal. A grade change shall be made only with
the written consent of the instructor, Department Chairperson, and Dean, except as noted above in
the case of an instructor who has died or has left University employment and cannot be contacted.
c) If the Dean finds that the appeal has merit, but the instructor or Department Chairperson
disagrees, then the Dean shall automatically forward five copies of the Appeal for Grade Change
Packet (including all supporting documentation and a copy of the Department Chairperson’s and
Dean’s forms and recommendations) to the chair of the Grade Appeals Review Board, within three
business days.
4) Fourth step: appeal to the Grade Appeals Review Board
a) If the Dean upholds the instructor’s grade, and the student wishes to further pursue the appeal,
the student must inform the Dean of his/her intention to pursue the appeal within one week of
receiving the Dean’s written recommendation.
b) If the student chooses to pursue the appeal, the Dean shall forward five copies of the Appeal for
Grade Change Packet, (including all supporting documentation and a copy of the Department
Chairperson’s and Dean’s forms and recommendations) to the chair of the Grade Appeals Review
Board, within three business days.
5) Final step: consideration of the appeal by the Grade Appeals Review Board
a) Any appeal after the completion of the steps above shall be made to the Grade Appeals Review
Board, which functions under the aegis of the Academic Standards Committee. After receiving an
appeal, the Grade Appeals Review Board will take one of the following actions after an
investigation:
i) Deny the appeal, in which case the matter shall be closed.
ii) Remand the appeal to the instructor and Dean of the instructor’s school. If the Grade
Appeals Review Board makes a finding that the grading involved a palpable injustice or
error, the case shall be remanded to the instructor and the Dean of the instructor's school
for reconsideration. The instructor may make the appropriate change in the grade with the
written agreement of the Dean. The Dean will notify the Grade Appeals Review Board of
the response taken. If the instructor disagrees or if the instructor's whereabouts are
unknown, the Grade Appeals Review Board may recommend a grade change to the
Provost. The Provost may make the recommended grade change, or issue a “W”
(withdrawal). The instructor, the Department Chairperson, and the Dean shall be notified in
writing of the Grade Appeals Review Board’s recommendation and of the Provost’s
decision. The Dean shall notify the student of the final decision.
b) The Grade Appeals Review Board will endeavor to resolve all cases within the semester in which
they are filed. When this is not possible, the chair of the Grade Appeals Review Board shall provide
the Provost, as well as the student, with written notification.
c) In no case shall a grade be lowered as a result of the appeal to the Grade Appeals Review Board.
6) Student Rights and Responsibilities:
a) Students shall receive timely notification during all steps of the appeals process.
b) The burden of proof is upon the student to make the case that a palpable injustice or error has
occurred. The student must therefore make as strong a case as possible by including all the required
documents, and by including supporting documents for the claims made. It is the student’s
responsibility to submit a complete Packet. For more details about the consequences of this, please
see item 2.
7) Faculty and Administration's Rights and Responsibilities:
a) The Grade Appeals Review Board shall notify the instructor, Department Chairperson, and Dean
in writing of any Grade Appeals Review Board actions and requests.
b) (i) Instructors shall retain all graded student work that has not been returned to the student, until
the end of the following regular academic semester. In no case shall an instructor discard the
graded work of a student who has filed an appeal.
(ii) Instructors shall provide the Department Chairperson, Dean and/or Grade Appeals Review
Board with graded student work, a syllabus, or any other documents that may be needed to
evaluate the merits of the appeal.
(iii) Instructors should endeavor to meet with a student who has questions about his/her grade as
early as possible in the next semester; preferably, before the add/drop deadline.
c) Department Chairpersons and Deans must endeavor to meet required deadlines as outlined in the
Appeals for Grade Change Policy.
d) Deans will notify the Grade Appeals Review Board when a recommended grade change has
taken place or has been rejected by the instructor.
8) The Grade Appeals Review Board Policies:
a) The Grade Appeals Review Board will not accept evidence provided in person to the Grade
Appeals Review Board and so does not allow students, non-Board faculty, administrators, or any
other people to attend Review Board meetings.
b) At the conclusion of a grade appeals case, copies of materials provided to Grade Appeals Review
Board members will be destroyed by the chair of the Grade Appeals Review Board. Original case
documents will be turned over to the Provost to be stored until such time as the state code
determines the documents may be destroyed under state guidelines. Students appealing cases are
advised to keep copies of all documentation provided in the Packet as the originals provided will be
held by the University following the decision of the Grade Appeals Review Board.
c) The Grade Appeals Review Board reserves the right to request grade and attendance information
from the instructor, a copy of the course syllabus, a clear grading policy or written explanation of
how the course grade was calculated (if a clear grading policy is not in the syllabus), and any other
related materials from the instructor and/or the appellant when the Grade Appeals Review Board
believes that it cannot make a fair decision without such information.
d) The Grade Appeals Review Board reserves the right to request from the student any document
that it needs to make a decision on a case. The student shall have two weeks to provide the
document to the Dean, who shall immediately forward five copies of the document to the Grade
Appeals Review Board. If the student fails to provide (within two weeks) a document that the Grade
Appeals Review Board believes is essential, the Grade Appeals Review Board reserves the right to
deny the appeal as “incomplete”.
e) Students should also understand that the Grade Appeals Review Board does not have any
predisposition to support either the instructor or the student, but seeks as fair a resolution to the
appeal as it can determine.
f) The Grade Appeals Review Board reserves the right to extend deadlines when extraordinary
circumstances exist. Under no condition does extending a deadline in one case set precedent, as
each case is a unique situation.
g) Should the appeal case suggest to the Grade Appeals Review Board that other students in the
course likely had their grades impacted as well as the grades of the student making the appeal, the
Grade Appeals Review Board shall contact in writing the Department Chairperson and Dean of the
school where the original appeal originated and suggest a review of the course in question.
h) The Grade Appeals Review Board will follow the appeals process as detailed above. If the appeal
is forwarded to the Grade Appeals Review Board between May graduation and June 15, the chair of
the Grade Appeals Review Board will attempt to contact Grade Appeals Review Board members
during the summer; however, there is no obligation for the Grade Appeals Review Board to meet,
given various off-semester commitments of the Grade Appeals Review Board members.
i) Anyone other than the student making the appeal and related faculty and University
administration who approaches the chair or other Grade Appeals Review Board members will be
directed to the University Counsel (Special Assistant to the President) without any discussion
whatsoever of a case.
j) A decision of the Grade Appeals Review Board to recommend a grade change is only a
recommendation and does not guarantee that the action recommended will be followed.
k) The Grade Appeal Review Board will state in writing its reasons for its recommendations to the
instructor, Department Chairperson, and Dean in the case of a grade change recommendation, and
to all parties in the case of an appeal denial.
l) The Grade Appeals Review Board will expect any appeals submitted in the fall semester to arrive
no later than the last week in October and in the spring semester, no later than the last week in
March. Appeals received after those dates may be held until the next semester. Appeals received
before those dates will be expedited.
m) Department Chairs will not accept an Appeal for Grade Change for a case that includes an
ongoing investigation for academic misconduct under the Academic Misconduct Policy. An Appeal
for Grade Change cannot overturn a finding of academic misconduct under the Academic
Misconduct Policy.
Forms
Appeal for Grade Change Form
Appeal for Grade Change - Department Chairperson's Form
Appeal for Grade Change - Dean's Form
Originally Adopted by the Faculty Senate April 16, 1979.
Revised by the Faculty Senate November 14, 2011.