Grading Systems / Policies

Grading Systems / Policies
Student Appeals Regarding Grades
Academic Standing
Academic Integrity
Reporting Violations
Adjudication Process

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Student Appeals Regarding Grading

The faculty of the College establishes course requirements and performance standards.  Faculty evaluation of students' academic performance is a qualitative judgment and is expressed through the submission of final course grades to the Registrar at the close of each semester.

In those instances where a student wishes to appeal a course grade, the student should take the following steps: 

No later than the semester following the one in which a grade is received, a student must bring his/her appeal to the attention of the faculty member.  Both should make good faith efforts to share viewpoints and mediate differences of opinion.

If it is mutually agreed that a grade readjustment is warranted, the faculty member forwards a Change of Grade Request, including explanatory reasons, to the dean of the academic unit which sponsored the course.

If a student and faculty member cannot reach a mutual agreement and a student wishes to pursue a grade appeal, the student must present a written appeal, including pertinent course materials or course work, to the dean of the academic unit which sponsored the course in question.

The dean will confer with the student and faculty member, jointly or independently, as he/she sees fit, review pertinent documents and course materials, and confer with other faculty or administrative staff members as appropriate.

If it is mutually agreed that a grade change is warranted, the dean will forward a faculty-endorsed Change of Grade Request with explanatory reasons, to the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

If the Office of the Dean renders an opinion which does not support the student's grade appeal, the student may petition for a review by the Office of the Provost.  The petition would be initiated by the submission of a written statement by the student that explains their position and includes any evidence the student has that contradicts the Office of the Dean's decision or contains information that had heretofore been unavailable.  The Provost's Office will reject any request for review that does not offer clear evidence that the Office of the Dean made a factual mistake, violated school policy, or otherwise acted outside the purview of the Office of the Dean.

The Provost or his/her designee will consider only those grade appeals which have previously received full deliberative discussion at the faculty and dean level.

After conferring with the student, Dean, and faculty member and reviewing the pertinent documentation, the Provost or his/her designee may take one of the two following actions:
(a) approve or decline the student's grade appeal; or

(b) request that the Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures review the appeal and render a recommendation to the Provost or his/her designee who, in turn, will advise the student, the professor, and the Dean of his/her final recommendation.

In both step (a) and (b), the recommendation of the Provost or his/her designee is final.

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