FCSM Grade Appeal Procedures

The Jess & Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) recognizes two common types of academic appeals: grade appeals and academic integrity violation appeals. This page describes the FCSM procedures for adjudicating grade appeals.  For information about appeal of academic integrity violations, students and faculty should refer to the FCSM academic integrity violation appeal procedures.

The procedures below are rooted in the principle that—in order to be adjudicated fairly and efficiently—grade appeals must follow the academic hierarchy of the college. If a student is dissatisfied with a grade, the student must first meet with the instructor. Many issues can be resolved through conversation. When a grade-related issue is not satisfactorily resolved through informal communication, the student may submit a formal appeal: first to the instructor, then to a departmental representative (typically that is the department chair, though in some cases it may be an assistant chair or a program director), and finally to the FCSM Associate Dean, who has the ultimate authority within FCSM regarding academic appeals. Decisions of the Associate Dean may be appealed only to the Academic Standards Committee, as permitted by university policies.

Time limits

A student who wants to submit a formal grade appeal must initiate the appeal process by the end of the following term (i.e., the fall/spring term immediately following the original posting of the grade). This deadline is imposed to allow sufficient time to resolve the appeal within one calendar year of the original posting of the grade, as mandated by the course catalog.

Steps

  1. To initiate a formal grade appeal, a student must write a letter of appeal to the instructor. The letter of appeal must:
          - describe the grade the student is contesting;
          - provide the student's summary of the informal
            communications that have occurred already;
          - state clearly the student's case why the contested grade is
             unjust and should be changed.    
    The letter of appeal (and any subsequent appeals) must be a standalone, formal document, sent as an email attachment to the instructor.
  2. The instructor must respond to the student in writing and copy the department chair and/or program director, as prescribed by the departmental policies. The instructor’s written response should, as best possible, address separately the student’s substantive and/or procedural concerns, as these different issues follow different paths in subsequent appeals. To that end:

    Substantive appeals concern errors in judgment related to the evaluation of student performance in the course. These may include questions specific to judgment by the instructor related to the grading of a test, paper, project, lab experiment, or performance.           
    Procedural appeals concern errors in procedures followed when determining a grade. These may include actions by the instructor that are inconsistent with the course syllabus or with university policies.    

    If the instructor denies the appeal, her/his response must also specify the departmental representative to whom the student may appeal next. 
  3. If the student is dissatisfied with the instructor’s response, s/he may appeal, in writing, to the departmental representative specified in the instructor’s written response; such an appeal must be submitted within five business days of receipt of the instructor’s response. The appeal to the department must address the instructor’s response and must explain why the student disagrees with the instructor’s reasoning.
  4. The departmental representative will review the appeal and may ask to meet with the student, if further clarification is needed. The representative must inform the student in writing of her/his decision and copy the instructor and the FCSM Associate Dean. The departmental response to the student’s appeal must clearly state the issues as substantive or procedural and address those separately.
  5. If the student is dissatisfied with the departmental response, s/he may appeal, in writing, to the FCSM Associate Dean; such an appeal must be submitted within five business days of receipt of the departmental response. The appeal must address the departmental response and must explain why the student disagrees with that response. The student must attach copies of all prior correspondence with the instructor and the department.
  6. The Associate Dean will review the appeal and may ask to meet with the student if further information is required. The Associate Dean will inform the student in writing of her/his decision regarding the appeal and copy the department chair and the instructor.  If necessary, the Associate Dean’s letter will classify the issues in the appeal as substantive or procedural.
  7. In cases of substantive grade appeals, the decision of the Associate Dean is final.  In cases of procedural grade appeals, if the student is dissatisfied with the Associate Dean’s decision, s/he may appeal, in writing, to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC).  In cases of appeals to the ASC, the committee’s decision is final.