Academic Review Policy

Grades and Attendance

A student who disagrees with a grade or sanction assigned by a faculty member (e.g. project, homework, quiz, test, grading concerning academic dishonesty, or misconduct) may submit a grievance in writing to the faculty member within five business days of the notification of the grade. The faculty member will meet or speak with the student at their earliest mutual convenience, no later than one week after receiving the grievance. Based upon the information provided by the student and review of other relevant information, the faculty member will decide if the grade remains or is changed and notifies the student.

For spring semester final grades, and when the student and faculty member are not both present on campus, the written grievance is submitted to the faculty member and the department chair (or the Director of Academic Operations- Center for Professional and Continuing Education for courses taken there and Director of Co-op and Careers for Co-op) through email within five business days from the posting of the grade on Leopardweb. The faculty member and the student will meet or connect within five business days at their mutual convenience. Based upon the information provided by the student and review of other relevant information, the faculty member will decide if the grade remains or is changed. The faculty member will email their decision to the student and the department chair within two business days from the conversation.

Non-Academic Student Issues of Concern

A student who has a concern about non-academic issues should contact the Dean of Students or the Director of Human Resources.

Classroom and Other Academic Review Procedures

If a faculty member is non-responsive, or the student wished to appeal the faculty member’s decision, a student should contact the chair of the department offering the course in writing, within five business days from the date of the grievance. If the student is a Center for Professional and Continuing Education student and/or the course is a Continuing Education course, the student must contact, in writing, the Director of Academic Operations. If the matter is related to co-op, the student must contact, in writing, the Director of Co-op and Careers. The academic department chair (or the director of academic operations within the Center for Professional and Continuing Education; Director of Co-op and Careers) should meet/contact the student within two weeks from the receipt of the grievance to settle the concern. If the issue is not resolved at this level, the student can appeal by following the Grade and Attendance Review process.

Grade Review Process

When a student disagrees with the decision of the faculty member concerning a grade/sanction assigned by a faculty member (e.g. project, homework, quiz, test, grading concerning academic dishonesty or misconduct, etc.), the following procedure applies.

First Step: Review by the department chair (Director of Academic Operations -CPCE for CPCE cases

Director of Co-op and Careers for co-op). The student may seek a review by the department chair (Director of Academic Operations -CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers). The student submits the communication about the issue with the faculty member, any supporting evidence, and the decision of the faculty member to the department chair of the offering course (Director of Academic Operations -CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers). The department chair (Director of Academic Operations -CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers) will meet or speak with the student, the faculty member and any other persons he/she deems necessary. The department chair (Director of Academic Operations -CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers) will provide the student with a decision within five business days (excluding breaks and holidays) after completing the review.

Second Step: Review by Academic Review Committee (FINAL) 

If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the department chair (Director of Academic Operations-CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers), the student may seek review, in writing, within five business days of receipt of the department chair’s decision (excluding breaks and holidays) to the Academic Review Committee (“ARC”). The student must submit all of the prior communications, supporting materials and decision of the faculty member and department chair (Director of Academic Operations-CPCE; Director of Co-op and Careers) to the Executive Assistant to the Provost.

Academic Review Committee Process

The Academic Review Committee members are the deans of the college, or other designees selected by the provost. A panel of three members will review each case. A representative of the provost’s office serves as the administrator for the ARC and does not vote. 

The ARC administrator will schedule a meeting of the ARC as soon as possible after receipt of the student’s written request for review. The ARC may meet with the student, but it is not required. The ARC reviews all prior material, communications and decisions regarding the matter from the faculty member and the chair and may ask faculty, chairs, or others to attend to answer questions and/or gather additional information. The student will be notified of the decision of the ARC in writing within five days of the meeting (excluding breaks and holidays). The ARC’s decision is final.

Last update: Apr. 10, 2019