Once a grade has been awarded for a class, it is normally permanent. Situations may arise where there are documented, mitigating circumstances, the following steps should be followed:
Step One: The student should contact the college faculty member about a grade dispute. Every reasonable effort should be made by all parties to resolve the matter informally at this level, and no written records of the matter will be placed in the student’s official file. If the situation is resolved informally and the instructor agrees that an error was made, the instructor will submit a Grade Change Form to the appropriate academic dean, who will forward it to the Records Office.
Step Two: If the grade dispute cannot be resolved at the first step, a Student Grievance Form must be submitted by the student within five business days of the notification of grade unless otherwise indicated by the instructor.
Step Three: The Program Head will follow the Student Grievance Process using the Student Grievance Form. Course syllabi and evaluation materials will be included in the review of the grade dispute.
Step Four: Following the Student Grievance Procedure, if the student is not satisfied with the Program Head’s decision, the student may follow the process outlined on the Student Grievance Form to appeal the decision to the academic dean and the Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs if necessary. The decision of the Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs is final.
Step Five: If at any time it is determined that a grade change is warranted, a grade change form will be submitted to the Records Office.
The grade appeal procedure provides an equitable and orderly process to resolve situations in which a student may contest a final grade assigned in a course during the previous academic semester. Students should be aware that establishing course requirements and assignments, evaluating a student’s work, and assigning a grade are the responsibility and the prerogative of the individual instructor. In the event that the final grade received in a course was assigned in a manner inconsistent with the course outline, or was assigned using a method other than that used to compute other students’ grades in that course, the matter may be resolved through an informal or a formal procedure.
Students are allowed to submit a grade appeal only if they do so within one month after the grade is posted.
Exception: In circumstances where the student has mitigating documented circumstances, grade changes must be requested within one year of the receipt of the grade in question.
The student should attempt to resolve the final grade dispute with the instructor informally. If the situation is resolved informally and the instructor agrees that an error was made, the instructor will submit a Grade Change Form to the appropriate academic dean, who will forward it to the Records Office.
If final grade conflicts cannot be resolved informally as described above, students must adhere to the following:
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