Grade Mediation Policy

If a student believes a course grade was improperly or unfairly assigned, the College has a grade mediation procedure to help resolve the matter. The evaluation of a student's academic performance is the sole responsibility of the person appointed to teach or supervise the course. A student who questions the validity of a faculty member's final evaluation of the student's academic work should confer with that faculty member within two weeks from posting of the final grade in Self Service. If the matter cannot be resolved between the faculty member and the student, the student should seek the appropriate director/chair of the graduate program to act as a mediator between the student and faculty member (if the instructor of record is the director/chair of the graduate program, the student should request that a mediator be appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies). However, the faculty member assigned to teach the course retains the final responsibility for assigning the course grade.

Upon conclusion of the mediation, the mediator will prepare a brief summary of the interaction with the student and its outcome and provide a copy of the summary to the student, the faculty member, and the Dean of Graduate Studies (a copy of which will be retained through the subsequent evaluation period of the faculty member in case it would need to be referred to for any reason). If the faculty member agrees to alter the grade, they must submit a Grade Change form to the Registrar (see Grade Change Policy).

After the final outcome, if the student and/or mediator feel that the faculty member in question has been unprofessional in resolving the matter, they should send a letter to the Dean of Graduate Studies to be put in the file of the faculty member and considered by the faculty evaluation committee as part of the regular evaluation process. Upon receipt of such a letter, the Dean of Graduate Studies will provide a copy to the faculty member, and if relevant, the mediator, both of whom may write letters for the file as well.

If the faculty member whose grade is questioned is no longer employed by the College or is otherwise unavailable because of sabbatical leave or some other reason, the student submits a petition for review by the director/chair of the graduate program. The director/chair of the graduate program will review all available materials and speak with people who may have insight into the situation and will issue a resolution. The timelines for the grade mediation procedures are the same whether or not the faculty member continues at the College. The decision by the director/chair of the graduate program is final.