The faculty member and the department chairperson in which the disputed grade was awarded resolve grade grievances. Every attempt should be made to resolve the grade grievance through consultations between the student and the instructor or among the student, instructor, and the department chairperson (or the subject-area coordinator when that person is charged with resolving grade grievances). In the event that these consultations fail to resolve the grievance, an appeal procedure is available to students, and for the procedure to go forward, written documentation is required. All documents must be dated. The grading and evaluation policies outlined in the course syllabus will form the basis for resolution of all grade grievances.
1. A grade grievance occurs when a student protests a grade awarded on the final grade roster. The grievance must be filed within three weeks of the student's receipt of the grade.
2. Every grade grievance must be submitted in writing by the student to the instructor who awarded the grade. The student must copy the department chairperson when the original grievance is submitted to the instructor.
3. The instructor must respond in writing to the student and send a copy to the department chairperson within 10 working days of receiving the grievance.
4. If the response from the instructor is not satisfactory to the student, a written petition of appeal to the department chairperson (or, in some departments, to the subject-area coordinator) must be submitted within two weeks of the instructor's written response.
5. The chairperson or coordinator must respond to the student's petition of appeal within two weeks of receipt of the petition.
6. If the decision of the chairperson or coordinator is unsatisfactory to the student, he or she may appeal to the dean of the appropriate school whose decision shall be made in a timely fashion and shall be final.