Academic Grievance and Appeal Procedures
Fair Process for Academic Problems
A student who experiences a problem concerning a grade or any other aspect of a course should first discuss the matter with the instructor. If the problem is not resolved, he or she should go next to the Dean of the School, the Chair of the Department, or the coordinator/director of the particular graduate program, whichever is appropriate. If not satisfactorily resolved, the matter should be taken to Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, who will hear only those parties involved and make a decision in the case.
Academic Appeals
If a student is not satisfied with the decision in his or her case regarding an academic matter, that student has a right to appeal. (This right to appeal academic matters applies to applications of written academic policy, to academic dishonesty decisions, and to grade and other course complaints that have already been through the process stated above.) In order to appeal an academic matter, he or she should address a letter to the Chair of the Graduate Council, stating the reason for the appeal and explaining the circumstances. If the student is asked to appear before the Council, he or she at that time may bring a representative from within the University to act as counsel. The deadline for an academic dishonesty appeal is seven days after the date of the decision being appealed. Grade appeals must be completed on or before the last day of the following semester. The deadline for all other types of academic appeals is eighteen months after the date of the decision being appealed.
For non-academic appeals see the Graduate Student Handbook.