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It is the instructor’s prerogative to evaluate student work and assign grades in accordance with his or her academic and professional judgment. Grounds to appeal a final grade include, but are not limited to: (a) the application of nonacademic criteria in the grading process, (b) sexual harassment, (c) evaluation of student work by criteria not directly reflective of performance relative to course requirements, or (d) a miscalculation of the grade according to information contained in the course syllabus or other posted or distributed course information. In those instances where a student disputes the final grade assigned, the following steps should be taken to appeal the grade in question.
Step 1: Student-Initiated Discussion with Instructor
When a student considers a final course grade unsatisfactory, he/she should first confer with the instructor regarding the accuracy of the grade received. At this time errors may be corrected. If the grade is not an error, the student and instructor may together review some or all class material pertinent to the grade.
Step 2: Student-Initiated Discussion with Department Chair
If the student is not satisfied, or if the instructor does not confer with the student in a timely manner, the student should promptly request a formal meeting with the Department Chair to discuss the factual reasons and basis for the complaint. At this meeting the student must provide evidence to support the complaint. The student request for an appointment must be made via LIM College email within seven days of the meeting between the student and the instructor. The request for an appointment must include a statement asserting the basis for the appeal and a summary of efforts made thus far to resolve the grade in question.
Step 3: Student-Initiated Submission of Grade Appeal Form to Registrar
A student may not move to step 3 without having completed steps 1 and 2 except in cases where the instructor and Department Chair are the same person.
Upon completing steps 1 and 2 without resolution, the student may submit a Grade Appeal Form with the Registrar by February 15 for fall courses, July 15 for spring courses and September 15 for summer courses. Supporting documentation and evidence must be submitted with the Grade Appeal Form.
The Registrar will convene a Grade Appeal Committee of three members within 30 days of the deadlines above. The purpose of the Grade Appeal Committee is to consider all of the evidence within the grading standards previously established by the instructor of the course, and on this basis render a decision, either to sustain or to change the original grade. The Registrar shall designate one member of the Committee as Chair, who will be responsible for gathering the pertinent materials from the student and instructor into a file for review by the Committee. This should include the work submitted by the student, the instructor’s grading criteria for this course, including the course syllabus, and the instructor’s evaluation of the work submitted, as well as any other pertinent evidence.
All proceedings are confidential. All decisions rendered by the Grade Appeal Committee are final, and will be made in writing to the Dean of Academic Affairs. The Committee will submit a change of grade if recommended. The Dean of Academic Affairs shall inform the instructor, Department Chair and the student. |
