1. The student shall attempt to reconcile the conflict or question in face-to-face interaction with the involved faculty member(s) upon receipt of grade but no later than five (5) academic days of the official posting of the grade by the registrar.
2. If this attempt at resolution is not satisfactory, the student may request mediation from the course leader. In the case where there is no course leader, the student may request mediation with the assistant dean of the baccalaureate program. If the matter is not resolved, the student may initiate a formal grade grievance with the student life committee by the following deadline:
fall semester (first Monday in January)
spring semester (third Monday in May)
3. The student obtains the Student Grade Appeal form from the Office for Student Affairs. The form should be completed and returned to the Office for Student Affairs with all accompanying documentation by the first Monday in January or the third Monday in May. All hand delivered/faxed materials should be dated and time stamped by the administrative assistant in the Office for Student Affairs. Materials submitted by mail should be sent certified, return receipt requested.
4. After the Student Grade Appeal form has been submitted, the Grievance Subcommittee determines whether the student appeal will be processed further. If it is determined that the appeal does not merit a full hearing, the student will be informed in writing.
5. If the Grievance Subcommittee determines that a full hearing should be held, a hearing will be scheduled within two weeks of the deadline for submission of evidence:
a. The subcommittee will review the Student Grade Appeal form and accompanying scholastic materials and supporting papers provided by the student, the course leader response, and the faculty response. Should there be no response from the faculty member involved in the appeal, the committee will process the appeal.
b. The following people may be in attendance at the hearing: the student/complainant and the faculty member. In addition, a support person may accompany the student/complainant to the hearing, but the support person may not participate nor speak on behalf of the student/complainant. Faculty members on the committee who have previously taught the student should recuse themselves.
6. Merits of the evidence for the appeal will be discussed while the Grievance Subcommittee is in session. Only the members of the committee--and not in the presence of the involved parties--will vote on the appeal.
7. The final vote on the appeal must indicate one of the following:
a. That the appeal has justification (the Grievance Subcommittee then recommends any action that is to be taken).
b. The appeal does not have justification.
8. The committee will support their vote with a written statement explaining the rationale for the recommendation and submit the recommendation(s) to the associate dean for academic affairs.
9. The associate dean for academic affairs will make the final decision regarding the complaint and will notify in writing the student/complainant, faculty member, course leader, and the chair of the student life committee. The decision of the associate dean for academic affairs is final. There is no further appeal process.
