/Institutions/Western-Piedmont-Community-College/json/2020-2021/Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Western-Piedmont-Community-College/json/2020-2021/Catalog.json

Grade Appeal Policy

Final course grades are determined by the course instructor in accordance with a grading policy distributed at the beginning of the course; grading is the prerogative of the instructor. Students may appeal a grade received in accordance with the procedures outlined below. The appeal of a grade must be initiated prior to the end of the next term.

1. Students shall confer with the instructor from whom students received the contested grade.
2. Should students and the instructor fail to reach a mutual agreement as to the resolution of the issue, students shall present the appeal in writing to the Program Coordinator of the area within which the protested grade was awarded. The Program Coordinator shall, by conferring with students and the instructor, seek resolution by mutual agreement. If the instructor is also the Program Coordinator, appeal should be submitted in writing to the Division Dean.
3. Should the Program Coordinator, instructor and students fail to reach a mutual agreement, the Program Coordinator shall forward the matter to the Division Dean within which the program is located.
4. Should the Division Dean, Program Coordinator, instructor and student fail to reach a mutual agreement, the Division Dean will then request that the Dean of Student Services convene a Student Grade Appeal Committee.
5. The Dean of Student Services, or a designee, will serve as Chair of the Grade Appeal Committee and be a non-voting member. Voting members will consist of a faculty member from each division selected by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and students’ faculty advisors (if different from the instructor). The Committee will meet to discuss the grade appeal and may hear from the instructor, the student, and any other persons the Committee deems appropriate. Should the Committee find that the grade received was inappropriate, the Committee shall determine the method by which the grade will be re-evaluated. The resulting grade, if different, must be submitted within college guidelines and may not be further appealed. Should the Committee find that the grade received by the student was appropriate, the Committee will direct that no action be taken to change the grade. Findings will be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
6. Failure of a student to pursue a grade change pursuant to the established guidelines in the Grade Appeal Policy process will be deemed an acceptance of the grade originally received.