Grading System and Grade Policies

The grade appeal system is a formal process that allows students to challenge a grade they have received for a particular assignment or course. If a student has evidence or believes that an incorrect, incomplete, or capricious action has been taken regarding an academic matter affecting their program, they must follow the procedural steps below to appeal the action:

1. Consult with the instructor to obtain all necessary information regarding the decision and attempt to clarify all matters concerning the decision.
2. If the student’s questions are unanswered after Step 1, they should place in writing their concerns regarding the action in question. Send a copy of the written statement to the faculty member and to the appropriate department chair who will in turn notify the appropriate dean. The student is responsible for making an appointment with the dean to review the allegation and to discuss the findings with the student. Initiation of a grade appeal by the student must happen within the first six weeks of the academic semester following award of the grade under appeal, except for graduating students. Graduating students must have grade changes processed within two weeks following the graduation ceremony (contact the Records and Registration Office for instructions if the instructor is unavailable). After that time, no grade changes can be made for graduates.
3. If there is no satisfactory resolution of the problem at Step 2, the student may petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President will review the facts of the case and render a final decision or establish a special Ad Hoc Academic Appeals Committee to investigate the matter. The student must petition the Vice President of Academic Affairs within two weeks of the written response from the dean. Should an Ad Hoc Committee be appointed, its function is as follows:
   1. collect and review all data related to the question or concern
   2. interview the student
   3. interview the faculty member
   4. interview the dean
   5. render a final decision based upon its findings after reviewing the data

The decision reached by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Academic Appeals Committee is final. There is no appeal to the Board of Trustees.

Grade changes

Grade changes requested by faculty members six months or more after the term in which the original grade was recorded must be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval before the change is made to the student’s permanent record by the Records and Registration Office. This does not apply to the removal of In Progress grades and extended Incomplete grades.