A student may appeal their grade for a course for one of the following reasons:
- They believe the grade assigned reflects a computational error.
- They believe they were unfairly graded in the course.
The procedure for filing a grade appeal is as follows:
- A student should first try to reach agreement with the faculty member who assigned the grade through informal conversation.
- If the student is not satisfied with the result of the conversation, or if the faculty member does not respond to requests for such an informal conversation, the student shall submit a written statement setting forth the basis for the appeal to the chair of the faculty member’s department, with a copy to the professor. Appeals must be submitted by the end of the fourth week of the following semester. The department chair will attempt to mediate the complaint as outlined in C below. ** (See note.)
- Within 10 business days of receipt of the student’s written statement, the chair will solicit the faculty member’s point of view, in writing, about the grade and the criteria on which it was based. The chair may render a decision based on the written communications or may call the student and faculty member together for a meeting to discuss the issues, after which the chair will render a decision to both the student and faculty member in writing. This decision shall be delivered within 20 business days of receipt of the student’s letter; or, if the letter is received over the summer and the parties are not reachable, by the end of the second week of classes in the Fall semester.
- If either the student or faculty member is dissatisfied with the chair’s decision, the dissatisfied party may appeal, in writing, to the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Success (ADCSS). This appeal must take place within 10 days of receipt of the chair’s decision, and must copy the other party. The ADCSS will consult all parties concerned, and may also seek counsel from the Academic Status Committee or other parties. The ADCSS will render a decision in writing to the student, faculty member, and chair, within 20 business days of receipt of the appeal.
- Final authority rests with the CAS Dean in the event that either the student or faculty member is not satisfied with the conclusion reached by the ADCSS. A written appeal to the Dean, which must be copied to the other parties involved, must be made within 10 business days following receipt of the ADCSS’s decision. The Dean will render final judgment in writing, within 10 business days of receipt of the appeal, to the student, faculty member, Chair, and ADCSS.
- Neither students nor faculty members may be represented or accompanied by another person at any grade appeal meeting or conference.
- If a grade appeal involves alleged academic misconduct, the grade appeal should be heard after the Honor Council has reached a decision about the alleged infraction.
**Note: In the event that the faculty member in question is the department chair, the appeal will move directly to the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Success.