Grade Change/Appeal

At the beginning of each term, the instructor provides students his/her course syllabus that includes the grading policy for that course. A copy is also submitted to the Academic Affairs Office, which will be on file and available for review.

At the end of the term, if a student has a question about the grade he or she received in a course, or believes an instructor has violated the grading policy of the class, the student should arrange to discuss the grade with the instructor. This discussion between the instructor and student may lead to an agreement that the grade will remain as reported, or that the instructor will submit a change of grade. Note that academic policy prohibits extra work being done in a course after the term has ended. A change in a student’s grade for a course is only possible if an error has been made by the instructor in the determination of the grade or in the reporting of the grade to the Registrar’s Office. (A student who desires a higher grade for a course has the option of repeating the course by registering for the class during a subsequent term. Both grades will show on the student’s transcript; however, the last grade earned is used to determine the GPA.)

If an error has been made by the instructor in the determination of the grade or in the reporting of the grade to the Registrar’s Office, the instructor may submit a change of grade form to the Registrar’s Office. Any error not reported within four months after the end of the term must have the approval of the Dean of Undergraduate Programs before it will be accepted by the Registrar’s Office. A changed grade replaces the original grade reported on the student’s transcript and automatically changes the cumulative GPA.

If the discussion between the student and instructor does not resolve the issue to the student’s satisfaction, the next step is for the student to have a conversation with the Department Chair/Program Director. The Department Chair/Program Director will attempt to mediate between the instructor and the student in order to resolve the dispute.

After speaking with the instructor and Department Chair/Program Director, a student who wishes to pursue further action will file a formal grade appeal. The formal grade appeal must be filed within two months from the end of the term. Students should contact the Academic Affairs Office for the complete Grade Appeal Policy or with any questions about the policy.