Graduate Grade Appeals

A graduate student holds the rights to be treated in a nondiscriminatory manner and to file a grade appeal.  If the graduate student claims that an earned grade is based on discrimination, the student must file the discrimination claim first.  Upon resolution of the discrimination claim, the student may then file the grade appeal. 

A student who believes that a course grade or other grade reported for him/her is incorrect has the right of appeal by the following procedure within one semester after final grades are posted.

He/she must first discuss the grade with the instructor.

If the student is still unsatisfied after the discussion with the instructor, he/she may appeal in writing to the department chairperson. The appeal must outline the reasons the student feels the initial grade was incorrect and must include any relevant documentation (e.g. graded material, syllabi, etc.) in support of the grade change.

If the department chairperson decides that the student's case has merit, he/she will appoint an ad hoc committee composed of two members of the faculty in the department (other than the faculty member involved) and one other graduate student in the department. The committee will review the case, interview the student and the instructor separately, and reach a judgment by majority vote. This judgment will be communicated to the department chairperson and he/she will notify the student and the instructor of the decision.

If the department chairperson decides that the student's case does not merit further investigation or if the student disagrees with ad hoc committee's judgment, the student may appeal this decision to the Graduate Studies Office and the college Dean. The student must supply the same supporting materials as those given to the department chairperson. If, after discussion with appropriate faculty and/or administrators, the Graduate Studies Office and the college Dean decide that the student has a case that merits investigation, the Graduate Studies Office, in consultation with the college Dean, may appoint an ad hoc committee of the same composition as that described above for the purpose of investigating the student's case.

The investigative committee will review the case, interview the student and the instructor separately, and reach a judgment by majority vote. This judgment will be communicated to the Graduate Studies Office who will notify the student, instructor, and department chairperson and dean.

If a change of grade is recommended by the committee, the instructor may initiate the change, or the committee's recommendation will be forwarded to the Graduate Studies Office and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for their consideration. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs may modify the grade if the committee so recommends.

At any time during this process prior to the time a final decision is made, the graduate student may withdraw his/her appeal; likewise, the instructor may initiate a grade change consistent with the students appeal at any time during the process. Either of these actions ends the appeal process.