The evaluation of a student's academic performance is the sole responsibility of the person appointed to teach or supervise the course. If a student believes a course grade was improperly or unfairly assigned, the College has a grade appeal procedure to help resolve the matter.
Appeal Procedures
The graduate student must first attempt to resolve the grade issue with the faculty member by conferring with that faculty member within 10 business days from the posting of the final grade in Self Service. It is suggested that the student and the faculty member discuss the matter synchronously (by phone, video, or in person).
If the matter is not resolved informally, the student may submit a formal written appeal via email to the faculty member. The appeal must be initiated within 20 business days after the grades were posted in Self Service and must include an appeal statement and an appendix of supporting evidence. The faculty member must respond within 10 business days to the student's formal appeal in writing, presenting their decision and the reasons for agreeing to change the grade or rejecting the student's appeal.
If the faculty member agrees to alter the grade, they must submit a Grade Change form to the Registrar (see Grade Change Policy). If the faculty member rejects the student's appeal, the faculty member should inform the student that an appeal to the director/chair of the graduate program (or the Dean of Graduate Studies, if the director/chair of the graduate program is the instructor of record) is possible.
If the faculty member rejects the student's appeal (or if the faculty member is not available or has not responded within 10 business days from receiving the formal appeal), the graduate student may then appeal within 10 business days following the faculty member's decision in writing via email to the appropriate director/chair of the graduate program in which the course was offered (if the instructor of record is the director/chair of the graduate program, the student should submit an appeal to the Dean of Graduate Studies). To do so, the student submits a letter rebutting the faculty member's response and an appendix that includes the initial appeal statement and its supporting evidence, the faculty member's response, and any additional evidence. The director/chair of the relevant graduate program may contact anyone relevant to this process or request additional documentation. The director/chair will respond within 10 business days from the receipt of the appeal and will communicate the decision to both the student and the faculty member. The director/chair's decision may be appealed to the Dean of Graduate Studies (or their designee).
If the director/chair rejects the student's appeal, the graduate student can then appeal within 10 business days following the director/chair's decision in writing via email to the Dean of Graduate Studies (or their designee). To do so, the student submits a letter rebutting the director/chair's response and an appendix that includes the initial appeal statement and its supporting evidence, the faculty member's response, the appeal to the director/chair and any additional evidence submitted during this stage of appeal, the director/chair's response, and any further evidence. The Dean (or their designee) may contact anyone relevant to this process or request additional documentation. The Dean (or their designee) will render a decision within 10 business days from the receipt of the appeal and will communicate the decision via email to the student, the faculty member, and the director/chair of the relevant graduate program. The decision by the Dean of Graduate Studies (or their designee) will be final.
Standards for Granting a Grade Appeal
The faculty member, director/chair of the relevant graduate program, and the Dean of Graduate Studies (or their designee) will use the following standards for granting a grade appeal:
- The student appealing the grade must make an argument and provide evidence in support of this argument.
- A grade may be changed only in cases where the student provides significant and sufficient evidence that the assigned grade was in error or unjust.
If a grade appeal is granted, the grade will be adjusted accordingly.
Limitations of Time
The grade appeal must be initiated in writing to the instructor of record within 20 business days after the student’s grade was posted. After this period, the student may only appeal a grade if extraordinary circumstances (e.g., military deployment or catastrophic illness) have prohibited the student from filing the appeal on time.
For all other timelines, exceptions to the timelines specified may be extended by mutual consent, or in cases where extraordinary circumstances prevent a party to act in the specified timeline. In either case, a deviation from the timelines must be communicated to and agreed upon by all parties.