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Grade Appeals



  • Traditional Course Grade Appeals
  • Nontraditional Course Grade Appeals

Once a grade has been submitted by the instructor to the Office of the Registrar, only the instructor can change the grade, except in the case of a grade appeal. The steps for a grade appeal in the traditional program include:

  1. The Student must contact the instructor to seek a solution no later than six weeks after the beginning of the next full Fall or Spring semester. The instructor must notify the student of his/her decision within one week of being contacted by the student. If the instructor decides that a grade change is warranted, the instructor must send written notification approved by the Department Chair and Dean of the School to the Office of the Registrar.
  2. If the decision of the instructor is not acceptable to the student, an appeal may be made in writing to the Dean of the School that administers the course within one week after notification by the instructor. The written appeal must specify both the complaint and the action requested. The Dean of the School must notify the student of the decision within one week.
  3. If the decision of the Dean of the School is not acceptable to the student, the written appeal may be made to the Office of the Provost. The Office of the Provost will seek a solution or may refer the matter to the Admissions and Standards Committee. The decision of the Office of the Provost is final unless the matter was referred to the Admissions and Standards Committee, in which case the decision of that committee is final.

The faculty member is responsible for the evaluation of student academic work and assigning of course grades. Once a grade has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar, only the instructor can change the grade, except in the case of a grade appeal. Failure of the student to submit the appeal within the required time will negate the student's complaint.

The following process is available for students who wish to appeal a final grade received in a course:

1. Student contacts the instructor to discuss the course grade.

Within three weeks after the final course grade was posted, the student must contact the instructor in writing to identify the reason why the course grade was unwarranted and request a possible grade change. If the instructor decides that a grade change is warranted, the instructor will send written notification to the Educational Center Director and will notify the student of the change.

If the instructor does not agree that a grade change is warranted, the student has the right to appeal the grade. Grade appeals should not be made frivolously. Appropriate grounds for grade appeals include situations in which the grade given is alleged to be inconsistent with the course syllabus or in which inappropriate professional conduct or unfairness have influenced the grade. In order to appeal a grade, the student must be prepared to document performance on all course work and explain why the grade received is not consistent with the course expectations expressed in the syllabus.

2. Student sends a written appeal to the Dean of the School.

If a student wishes to submit a grade appeal, they must do so in writing within two weeks of receiving notification of the instructor's final decision. The student should send a letter or email to the Dean of the School that administers the course. The letter of appeal should include rationale why the course grade was unwarranted and how it was inconsistent with the course syllabus. The student should also include copies of any coursework in question. The Dean will carefully review all facts and evidence in the case and determine a decision in a reasonable period of time after receipt of the appeal. The Dean will notify the student of the grade appeal decision in writing.

3. Student sends a written appeal to the Office of the Provost.

A final appeal may be made in writing to the Office of the Provost. This final appeal must be sent within two weeks of receiving notification of the Dean's decision. The letter of appeal should include rationale why the course grade was unwarranted and how it was inconsistent with the course syllabus. The student should also include copies of any coursework in question. The Provost will carefully review all facts and evidence in the case and may convene a group of faculty for further deliberation. The Provost will make the decision in a reasonable amount of time after receipt of the appeal and will notify the student of the final grade appeal decision in writing.

The decision of the Provost is final.