Grade Appeal Practices and Procedures

Policy #1G – November 3, 1981

Draft February 4, 2004

Preface

The University Grade Appeal policy has been developed and written by the Student Affairs Committee of the Academic Senate in consultation with faculty, students, staff and administrators.

It is a general policy suggested for colleges to follow. The faculty of the individual colleges may adopt a policy which varies from university grade appeal procedure, as long as the alternative procedure conforms to Chancellor’s Office Executive Order 320, Assignment of Grades and Grade Appeals.

Each college is required to forward its written policy to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost, or his designee by the end of the Fall semester1981, so that the Provost’s Office may ascertain whether or not the policy is in compliance with Executive Order 320.

Upon approval of the college policy, dean’s and department offices are required to maintain copies on file so that they can be distributed to students upon request.

The record of Grade Appeals in each college is to be reviewed by the Student Affairs Committee by Spring 1983.

The AAUP Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure establishes the following principles in assigning grades: (1) the faculty has the responsibility for the assignment of grades; (2) students should be free from prejudicial or capricious grading; and (3) no grade may be assigned or changed without faculty authorization.  It provides, in relevant part, that administrators should not “substitute their judgment for that of the faculty concerning the assignment of a grade.  The review of a student complaint over a grade should be by faculty, under procedures adopted by faculty, and any resulting change in grade should be by faculty authorization.”

This revised policy on grade appeals practices and procedures supersedes AS Policy #1G (November 8, 1981) and conforms to Chancellor’s Office Executive Order No. 792 – Grading Symbols, Assignment of Grades, and Grade Appeals (November 12, 2001).

Definition of Terms

1. Appealable Grade: A grade is appealable when the grade assigned as a final course grade does not reflect what the student has earned according to the criteria for grading as outlined by the instructor of the course.

2. Instructor of Record: The instructor of the course, thesis, project who is responsible for evaluation and determination of the final grade.

Introduction

The following recommendations are set forth in an attempt to offset the need to initiate formal grade appeal procedures.

1.         The formal grade appeal process is a serious procedure which should only be initiated when the grade assigned does not reflect the criteria for grading as outlined by the instructor.  It is the responsibility of the instructor to define his/her grading policy as early in the semester and as explicitly as possible while conforming to accepted university practices. If there is any deviation from this original statement of policy, all affected students should be informed.

2.         It shall be assumed that the grade assigned is correct and that the student appealing the grade must justify the need for a change of the grade assigned.

3.         Procedural questions (e.g., allegations of improper grade appeal procedure) shall be referred to the University Counsel or designee, but the evaluation of the extent to which the instructor’s grading criteria were or were not followed will not be conducted beyond the college level.

4.         Normally, grade appeals should be resolved informally between the student and faculty involved.

5.         A student who believes he/she has been assigned an improper grade, as defined in definition of terms, should meet with the instructor of record and together review the grading procedures used to determine the grade assigned on the student’s transcript. The department chair or designee will attempt to serve as mediator working with the individuals to resolve the dispute. If, after careful review of grading procedures, the student is still dissatisfied or if the instructor of record refuses to take part in the informal process, the student may initiate the formal grade appeal procedure.

6.         Only after the informal grade appeal procedure has been followed may the formal grade appeal be initiated.

Formal Grade Appeal Procedure

The following steps define the progress of the formal grade appeal procedures.

Department Level Procedures

1.         Formal grade appeals must be initiated by the student during the semester following the award of the grade. The instructor may change a grade if it is found that there was an error, work was overlooked, etc. Except for changes made by the instructor, grades shall not be changed except through the appeal process.

2.         Normally, any differences of opinion between an instructor and student concerning a grade herein relevant should be resolved between the individuals involved. If the instructor of record will not be available within one semester, the department chair or designee may act in lieu of the instructor of record for the purpose of grade appeals. If the instructor and student cannot resolve their differences of opinion, the student must present a written brief outlining the problem and the area of disagreement to the department chair. After notification by the department chair that a grade appeal brief has been filed, the instructor must respond to the department chair in writing within ten working days. The department chair or designee will attempt to serve as mediator working with the individuals to resolve the dispute. If this mediation proves unsuccessful, the department chair shall decide whether there are reasonable grounds for a grade appeal forward the student’s brief to the college dean.

3.         If the department chair decides there are reasonable grounds, a department Grade Appeal Committee, as described below, will convene by the department chair.  If the department chair decides that there are no reasonable gounds for the formation of a department Grade Appeals Committee, this decision may be appealed to the college dean.  If the college dean decides that there are reasonable grounds, then the college dean shall ask the department chair to form a department Grade Appeal Committee.  If the college dean decides that there are no reasonable grounds, this decision may be appealed to the VPAA/Provost.  The final authority for determining reasonable grounds for a grade appeal rests with the VPAA/Provost.

3.  4.    The department Grade Appeal Committee shall consist of the following persons:

  • Three qualified department faculty: One selected by the instructor of record, one selected by the student, and one selected by both the instructor and the student [1] ; and
  • One student enrolled in the department courses selected by the student appealing the grade.

The committee shall select its own chair. A simple majority shall prevail in the committee.

4.  5.    The function of the department Grade Appeal Committee shall be to evaluate the grading procedures and, if necessary, to re-evaluate the student’s assignments for the course in terms of criteria established by the instructor of the course. The student member on the department Grade Appeal Committee may not participate in the vote for grade assignment.

5.  6.    All pertinent data, papers, records, etc., together with written briefs, will be submitted to this committee for study. The committee may meet individually or collectively with those involved in its quest for determination, and the Committee may choose to continue mediation efforts. Each party may bring another person with them as support or spokesperson at any stage in the process. In any appeal, the litigant has the option if meeting individually with the Committee.

6.  7.    The Committee may determine that the assigned grade shall remain unchanged, that it be raised to a specific grade, or that it be lowered to a specific grade. The Committee’s decision, including minority opinions when they exist, shall be reported in writing to the department chair, the instructor of record, and the student involved. If either the instructor or the student is dissatisfied with the decision at the department level, written notification will be forwarded to the department chair within five working days. The department chair will subsequently forward a request for a college level grade appeal procedure within five working days.

Note: If the department Grade Appeal Committee has made no decision with respect to the grade appeal within thirty working days, the department chair will refer the entire matter to the relevant college dean.

8.         If the department Grade Appeal Committee has made no decision with respect to the grade appeal within thirty working days, the department chair will refer the entire matter to the relevant college dean.

College Level Procedures

3.         The college dean or designee will review the findings to date and will attempt to act as a mediator in resolving the dispute. If mediation at the college level does not lead to resolution, then a college Grade Appeal Committee shall be formed by the college dean within ten working days. This committee shall include the following persons:

  • Three qualified faculty [2] 1 members from the college:  one selected by the instructor of record, one by the student appealing the grade [3] 2, and one by both the instructor and the student the college dean.; and
  • One  student from the college appointed by the dean; and.
  • One student selected by the student appealing the grade.

The committee shall elect its own chair.  A simple majority shall prevail in the committee.

4.         All pertinent data, papers, records, etc., together with written briefs, will be submitted to this committee for study. Both student and instructor will have permission to view, but not copy, all materials used by the committee. The committee may meet individually or collectively with those involved in its quest for determination, and the Committee may choose to continue mediation efforts. Each party may bring another person with them as support or spokesperson at any stage in the process. The student or instructor has the option of meeting with the Committee without the other party present.

5.         The function of the college Grade Appeal Committee shall be to evaluate the grading procedures as well as to, if necessary, re-evaluate the student’s assignments for the course in terms of criteria established by the instructor of the course.  The student members on the college Grade Appeal Committee may not participate in the vote for grade assignment.  The committee’s decision may be to keep the assigned grade, or to raise the assigned grade, or to lower the assigned grade.

6.         The college Committee shall provide a written justification to the college dean for its decision including minority opinions when they exist.  The college dean shall provide a written statement informing the student and the instructor of the Committee’s ruling. The college dean shall inform the student and the instructor of the committee’s ruling and provide both parties with copies of the committee report.

7.         In the case of a change of grade, if the instructor of record does not implement the change of grade decided upon by the committee, the dean shall implement the change of grade on the student’s official transcript through the ordinary change of grade procedure.  This shall be the last step in the deliberation of the formal grade appeal.

8.         The college dean shall provide a written record of the results of all grade appeals which effect a change of grade to the VPAA/Provost.  College deans shall also provide an annual summary to the Academic Senate of the number of cases heard and the result of each case.


[1] If the student appealing the grade cannot find a department faculty person willing to serve, the department chair shall appoint the second faculty person.

[2] 1“Qualified faculty” means one or more persons with academic training comparable to the instructor of record who are present on the faculty at the campus (Executive Order No. 320 792).

[3] 2 If the student appealing the grade cannot find a qualified college faculty person to serve, the college dean shall appoint the third faculty person.