Grade Grievances
If a student believes that he or she has not been graded fairly in a course, it is the student’s right to initiate a grade grievance. A formal process exists for the resolution of such problems. The overall guidelines are basically uniform from academic program to academic program, with each free to develop specific procedures within these guidelines. Requests for reconsideration of a grade must be brought to the faculty member as soon as possible after the conclusion of the course and no later than the end of the eighth week of the subsequent fall or spring semester. The steps in the process are outlined below; it is understood that if a satisfactory resolution is reached at any level, the process ends. If at a given step either party is dissatisfied with the proposed resolution, the dissatisfied party may request reconsideration to the next level. Decisions by the college dean are final, with no provision for further appeal beyond that point.
- The student meets with the faculty member to request information about the faculty member’s grading decision or evaluative judgment. If after receiving an explanation from the faculty member, the student remains dissatisfied, he or she may request reconsideration of the grade by the department chairperson/executive director/designee.
- The student meets with the department chairperson/executive director/designee to discuss the assigned grade. The chairperson/executive director may choose to intervene directly at this point and attempt to seek a resolution or may decide to refer the question to the academic program’s grievance committee and convene the committee in accordance with the program’s policies and procedures.
- The academic program’s grievance committee, comprising faculty members and at least one student, hears the grievance. The committee determines (in accordance with prevailing program practices and the specifics of the particular grievance) a procedure to follow. Both the student and faculty member might be asked to submit materials in writing, or both might be invited or required to appear before the committee. The committee may schedule these meetings so that the parties appear separately or together. Additional information may be requested by the committee as needed.
- The grievance committee makes a determination and notifies the student and faculty member in writing of its decision.
- If the decision of the grievance committee is not acceptable to either of the parties involved or if implementation of the decision requires the attention of the college dean, the grievance is brought to the dean for resolution and all relevant materials are forwarded to the dean’s office.
- The final grade must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar before the degree is posted. Once the degree has been posted, the academic record is frozen and no changes are permitted.