Grade Appeals

Student complaints about grades in any courses offered by the school are treated by the following process:

Students wishing to file a complaint about a course grade, or a grade received for a particular piece of work in a course, should first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion or writing with the instructor of that course (her or his preference) no later than two weeks after notification of the grade. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved between student and instructor, the student may specify in writing the basis for the complaint and request a review by the appropriate program director. A written complaint about a grade for work completed while the course is in progress must be submitted to the program director no later than two weeks after final determination by the instructor. A student must submit a written complaint about a final course grade to the program director no later than four weeks after final determination by the instructor.

A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the program director should appeal once again in writing to the office of the dean, through the assistant dean for student and academic services. Students should be directed to address that written appeal to Stephen Weston, Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Services, Bloustein School Dean's Office, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, CAC. Email is preferred at sdweston@rutgers.edu.

Written notification of the action taken by either the program director or by the assistant dean will be sent to the student no later than four weeks of the filing of the appeal, excluding those weeks in which classes are not in regular session. With reference to the actions above, the program director or assistant dean may consult with other faculty, directors, etc., that may be relevant to a student's complaint.

Students who contact the dean's office without following the above procedure will be referred back to the instructor or program in order to preserve the integrity of the process and an independent student appeal review. Some things to keep in mind when appealing your grade with the instructor, director, or dean include:

Watch grade appeal time frames; being busy is not a legitimate excuse.
Raise issues when they happen, not at the end of the semester.
Stick to the facts of the situation; discuss formally your appeal and keep it professional.
Avoid emotional language and personal attacks.
When asking for a second chance, admit where you have been culpable.
Mentioning your grades in your other classes is not relevant.
Be leery of end of semester/year grade appeals as they impact graduation deadlines.

For questions about the grade appeal process, students, faculty, and/or others are encouraged to speak to their instructor, program director, or the assistant dean of the school for clarification.