Grade Appeal

If a student receives a final grade in a course that she or he believes is incorrect or unfair, he or she may appeal that grade by following this procedure:

• Student must contact the faculty member involved, in writing, within 30 calendar days of the posting of the disputed grade. The grade appeal request must outline the specific grievances about the grading procedure, grounds for appeal and attach relevant documentation (syllabus, guidelines for papers or presentations etc.).
• If, after hearing the instructor’s explanation, the student still wishes to appeal the grade, she or he must present the grade appeal to the program director within 30 days of notification from the instructor.
• If the student is still not satisfied, the student may make a final appeal to the dean of the Graduate School. In such cases, the dean must be contacted prior to the end of the term immediately following the semester the grade was posted.
• Failure to follow this timeline provides sufficient grounds for dismissing an appeal. In each stage of the appeal process, the student will receive a letter stating the reviewer’s recommendation within 30 days of initiation.
• All parties to the grade appeal (student, instructor, program director, dean) are to maintain strict confidentiality until the matter is resolved.

For clarity and legal reasons, all formal complaints and appeals must be in written, not oral form.