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Title: CHANGING AND/OR APPEALING A FINAL COURSE GRADE
Number: R-45
Date of Inception: January 23, 1995

Purpose: To establish the procedures whereby a final course grade may be changed or appealed.

GUIDELINES:

1. The first level of appeal for a student who is dissatisfied with a grade he has received is to the professor assigning the grade. In direct, personal interview, the student should explain the basis of his dissatisfaction and the professor should explain the basis for his grade. The student will request this interview within ten (10) days of the postmark on the final grade report from the Registrar. The request will be filed with the department secretary, and the nature of the request will be made known to the secretary. The faculty member will schedule an interview within normal working hours, (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday within ten (10) days of the student's request. Failure by the faculty member to schedule the interview within the established time will be considered a violation of University policy. Failure of the student to appear at the scheduled interview ends the appeals procedure.
2. The student who, after such an interview, still is dissatisfied, should submit to the chairperson of the department involved a written statement, within ten (10) days of the interview, containing the reasons for his dissatisfaction and the specific changes he regards as fair and desirable. The burden of proof lies upon the student in such a case to show that an error or malfeasance has occurred. Within ten (10) days of receiving the written appeal, the department chairperson will notify, in writing, both the professor and student of his decision. When, in the opinion of the department chairperson, the student fails to show reasonable cause for further investigation, the chairperson may deny the appeal without taking further action.
3. When, in the opinion of the department chairperson, a student's appeal raises reasonable doubt as to whether a mistake or malfeasance may have occurred, the chairperson shall appoint, within ten (10) days, a committee of three faculty members whom he considers most nearly competent in the subject matter to adjudicate the matter. This committee will meet and issue a decision in writing to the department chairperson, professor, and student within ten (10) days. Both the professor and student should be asked to bind themselves in advance to accept the committee's decision. Neither may be required, however, so to bind him/her self.
4. After the student files the initial request for an interview with the professor, if the professor or department head are not available, all of the foregoing time requirements begin to run with the first day of class in the next major term.
5. Any student who has exhausted the remedies open to him under the procedures outlined above may appeal the entire matter to the Faculty Appeals Committee. The student should be advised by the Department Chairperson that the Faculty Appeals Committee will not alter a grade under these circumstances, but if the student can show compelling evidence that the spirit of due process and the procedures outlined above have been violated, the committee may recommend that a re-examination be given to the student, that the grade be removed from the student's transcript, that the Academic Dean investigate the entire matter, or that other appropriate action be taken.
6. Any grade change resulting from any of these procedures should be reported to the Academic Dean for information.

By action of the Faculty Senate on January 23, 1995.
R-45