Any appeal of a grade must be initiated by the student with the instructor before an ensuing semester has elapsed. Students should be advised. Most often, a grade may be changed only 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 or alter a 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.
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 either through discussion with the instructor, or with the student in the company of the faculty member. 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 render a decision on the grade appeal, decision of the VPASA 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.