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Grade Appeals

Occasionally, students are unsatisfied with their assigned grade for a course. Students have up to one year to appeal a grade. If a student has a grade grievance, follow the department guidelines.

Bases for Appeal: Grade appeals must be based on one or more of the following issues:

  1. Inaccurate Evaluation or Grade Calculation. Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor inaccurately graded one or more assignments and/or made a clerical error in calculating the graded work.
  2. Discrimination. Appeals based on discrimination must demonstrate that the instructor treated a student differently in assigning grades than he/she treated other students in a similar circumstance. The different treatment must have resulted in the student being assigned a lower grade than would have been assigned if the student were treated similarly.
  3. Failure to Follow Course Policies. Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor failed to follow written or orally communicated policies related to grading for his/her course. The student must demonstrate that the instructor’s failure to follow one or more course policies resulted in a lower grade than would have been assigned had policies been followed. Note that the vast majority of grade appeals arise from unclear policies regarding withdrawal and on what basis a WP or WF will be awarded.
  4. Failure to Follow Published University Policies. Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor failed to follow published University policies related to instruction and/or grading and that the instructor’s failure adversely affected the student’s grade.

The Appeals Process

  1. If a student believes he or she received a grade other than that awarded, the student must first attempt to resolve the grade dispute with the instructor.
  2. If the matter cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student should be directed to the teaching supervisor. The teaching supervisor will require a typewritten grade appeal and should include the following elements:

a. Student’s name and mailing address,

b. The class name, term class was completed, instructor’s name

c. Grade received

d. The appeal should make an argument, based on one or more of the issues presented above (see Bases for Appeals) indicating why the grade received should be changed.

e. The appeal should request a specific remedy, i.e. indicate the grade the student believes to be appropriate.

  1. If the student is still dissatisfied, the student should appeal to the Department Head. The Head will construct a committee to review the finding of the teaching supervisor.
  2. If the grade dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, he or she may appeal the grade to the Academic Standards Committee of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Appeal Your Grade

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