Any appeal of a grade must be initiated by the student with the instructor before an ensuing semester has elapsed. Students should be advised that a grade may only be changed by the instructor. Only in a case of obvious computational error or blatant abuse of the grading prerogative will the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA) be the other individual on campus empowered to change a grade student’s grade.
Students who believe they have valid grounds for a grade appeal will use the following process to resolve the issue:
Meet with the Instructor
The student shall contact the faculty member and schedule a meeting to discuss the grade appeal and attempt to resolve the conflict. The faculty member and student shall meet within five business days of the end of the semester.
Meet with the Program Coordinator/Department Chair
If the issue was not resolved in meeting with the instructor, the student has three business days from the date of the faculty member’s decision to file a written appeal with the faculty member’s program coordinator or department chair, or with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, if the faculty member is also the department chair or program coordinator. Within three business days, the department chair or VPASA will mediate the dispute through discussion with the instructor or with the student in the faculty member's company. If no resolution is reached, proceed to the step below.
Meet with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
If the issue is not resolved meeting with the Program Coordinator/Department Chair, the student has three business days to file a written appeal with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. The VPASA will meet with all parties concerned within the next three business days to attempt to resolve the dispute. The VPASA will have three business days from the last meeting to decide on the grade appeal, which is final.
Note: During the summer, when faculty are not on campus, students may begin the grade appeal process with the Office of Academic and Student Affairs. Every attempt will be made to have the faculty member contact and meet with the student within the specified time. On occasion, however, these times may need to be adjusted.