Grade Appeal / Academic Grievance Policy

The purpose of the Grade Appeal / Academic Grievance policy is to provide the student with a safeguard against receiving an unfair final grade, while respecting the academic responsibility and integrity of the instructor. Every student has a right to receive a grade assigned upon a fair and unprejudiced evaluation based on a method that is neither arbitrary nor capricious. At the same time, instructors have the right and responsibility to assign a grade based on a method identified in the course syllabus that is professionally acceptable and applied equally.

For consideration, the basis of the grade appeal cannot be a challenge of an instructor’s grading standard. Instead, the basis must be one of the following reasons:  

1. An error or miscalculation; or
2. A violation of policy, whether that is the instructor’s own policy or a College policy; or
3. Unfair, capricious, or arbitrary treatment, compared to the standard applied to other students.

In the absence of these compelling reasons, the grade assigned by the instructor of record is final.

The process and timelines for seeking for a grade appeal is identified below. If any timeline is interrupted by a term break, the remaining days will be extended into the beginning of the following term.  At any step in the process, the student may consult with their academic advisor or any other faculty or staff member for advice.

Step 1 (Instructor):
Within 30 calendar days of the disputed action, the student must raise the concern with the course instructor. The course instructor must respond to the student’s concern within 14 calendar days. The student should skip to step 2 in cases where the instructor is on sabbatical/leave, or is no longer employed by the College.

Step 2 (Appeal to Department Chair):
If the student wants to appeal the instructor’s decision, the student has 14 calendar days from the instructor’s response to submit a written appeal to the chairperson of the department in which the grievance occurred. The chairperson should notify the instructor of the continuation of the grievance process and must respond to the student’s appeal within 14 calendar days.

Step 3 (Appeal to School Dean):
If accord is not yet reached through the steps above, the student has 14 calendar days from the chairperson’s response to submit an appeal using the Student Academic Grievance Form to the dean of the school in which the grievance occurred. Upon receipt of the form, the school dean will conduct a review which may necessitate requesting further documentation from or meeting with the student, instructor, and/or chairperson of the department, as needed. The dean will notify all parties involved in writing of their decision and any subsequent actions. The decision of the school dean is final.

Note: A student should also use the identified three-step process and timelines therein to resolve all other academic grievances with a department, program coordinator, department committee, etc.

This policy is not intended to supersede the Academic Integrity and Honesty Policy or the Harassment/Discrimination Policy.