Academic Grade Appeals

Appeal Process

• 1. OPTIONAL Start by Completing an Academic Grade Appeal Request form
  Although not required to begin with this Academic Grade Appeal Request Form, it does connect an appealing student directly to the Dean of Students Office, who can assist students in understanding the appeal process and obtain contact information to complete the required outreach steps below.
• 2. Reach out to your faculty member

  Students requesting a grade change must initiate an appeal to the faculty member within 90 days of the final semester grade being posted. The faculty member should provide a written response within ten (10) days after receiving the request. The faculty member can approve the grade change or deny the request. If the faculty member denies the request or does not respond within ten (10) class days, the student can move forward.

• 3. Reach out to the Department Chair

  If a faculty member denied the grade change request, or did not respond within the allotted time, students then have ten (10) class days to reach out to the Department Chair. The Department Chair may consult with the faculty member and should provide a written response to the student within twenty (20) class days after receiving the student’s request. Upon receiving a response, or if the department chair does not respond within twenty (20) class days, the student can move forward.

• 4. Reach out to the College Dean/designee

  After the department chair review, or no response within the allotted time, students have ten (10) class days to reach out to the College Dean/designee. The College Dean may consult with the faculty member and should provide a written response to the student within twenty (20) class days after receiving the student’s request. Upon receiving a response, or if the college dean does not respond within twenty (20) class days, the student can move forward.

• 5. Submit a Grade Appeal Request Form

  After completing the review steps listed above with faculty, Department Chair, and College Dean/designee, students should then submit the Grade Appeal Request Form. Each prior review step should be documented in writing and attached directly to the online form. The Dean of Students Office may consult with the identified parties to verify each step's completion.

  *If the appealing student completed this form as their initial step, the student should complete the Grade Appeal Documentation Submission Form (linked below) or reach out to the Dean of Students Office directly for case updates and to ensure all documentation was submitted as required.

• 6. Grade Appeal Committee Review Hearing

  Once the grade appeal documentation is reviewed and certified for completeness, the University Academic Grade Appeal Committee is notified and provided case documentation. A Review Hearing is scheduled and notification, along with case documentation, is sent to the appealing student and impacted faculty member, Department Chair, and College Dean/designee. The University Academic Grade Appeals Committee notification will be sent to all involved parties at least ten (10) class days in advance of the scheduled hearing. The Committee shall make a recommended decision to the Provost, who shall issue a decision on the student’s appeal.

• 7. Grade Appeal Decision Letter

  Upon the conclusion of the University Academic Grade Appeals Committee recommendation, the Provost will issue a final decision on the student’s appeal. The Provost will communicate their final decision to the Dean of Student’s Office, who will issue a Grade Appeal Decision Letter to the student and faculty member.

• 8. Final Presidential Appeal

  After receipt of the Grade Appeal Decision Letter, the decision of the Provost may be appealed to the President by either the student or the faculty member. If this step is utilized, the President shall make the final decision on the grade appeal.

  This will be considered final University action and no additional administrative processes shall be utilized to review the outcome.