Grade Appeals

The instructor has the jurisdiction in determining and assigning grades at the end of the semester. The criteria for assigning grades must be stated in the course syllabus and communicated to students at the beginning of the course. Students have the right to appeal a final grade that they believe was not consistent with grading polices stated in the syllabus and/or different from those applied to other students in the same course. Before appealing, the student must meet with the instructor to discuss his or her dissatisfaction with the grade. This process must be initiated within 30 days of the start of the new semester. If the grade dispute is not settled at this level, the student and instructor will confer with the program director. If the issue is still not resolved, the student may initiate a formal grade appeal to the Provost. The appeal must be initiated within 10 working days of the decision being sent by the program director. The Provost will appoint three faculty members from across the graduate programs to serve on a Graduate Hearing Board. This Graduate Hearing Board will make a recommendation to the Provost. The Provost will notify the student of the final disposition of the appeal. The decision of the Provost is final.

Dismissal Appeals

A student has the right to appeal a dismissal from the graduate program for academic reasons other than academic dishonesty by submitting an appeal in writing to the Provost within 10 working days of the decision being sent by the program director. The appeal must include reasons the student believes s/he should be reinstated and a plan for future success. The decision on the student’s status will be made by the Provost after consultation with members of the graduate program in which the student is enrolled. The Provost will notify the student of the decision. The decision of the Provost is final.

In cases of dismissal for academic misconduct, refer to the policy on Academic Integrity and Academic Honesty below.

In cases of dismissal for non-academic reasons, refer to the Code of Student Conduct.