Students have protection through orderly procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation. At the same time they are responsible for maintaining standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled.
The following is the procedure to be followed by a student seeking an avenue of appeal for cases in which the student feels an evaluation was prejudicial or capricious.
Students are expected to discuss any grade concerns with their instructors prior to initiating this process.
This complaint process assumes that attempts for informal resolution have failed.
All complaints must be submitted in full (including documentation) within ten class days of the regular semester following the term in which the grade was reported. Fall and Spring semesters are considered 'regular' semesters, for the purposes of this policy. Any attempt to carry the appeal outside of the procedure set forth may negate the entire appeals process for that case.
1. The student must complete the Grade Appeal form (AA-39) and submit it, along with supporting documentation, to the Office of Student Academic Services.
The Director of Student Academic Services will date-stamp the complaint and schedule a meeting with the student, instructor, and department chair that occurs within ten class days of receipt of the complaint. Copies of the form and supporting documentation will be provided to the instructor and department chair prior to the meeting.
2. The Director of Student Academic Services will accompany the student to the meeting. The Director’s role is to ask questions, guide discussion, and otherwise provide support for the student.
At the completion of the meeting, the department chair will complete the “Department Review” section of the appeal form. Copies of the form will be provided to the department and the student. The original form is filed in the Office of Academic Affairs office. If indicated, the instructor will file a change of grade form.
3. If the situation is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction the student may sign the appeal portion of the complaint form and submit it to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) along with the documentation within 10 class days following the department review meeting. The student may choose to provide additional documentation.
4. Within 10 class days of receiving the appeal, the VPAA or a designee will meet with the student to discuss the complaint.
After reviewing the documentation and consulting with other parties as necessary, the VPAA or designee will make a final decision in the matter within twenty class days of receiving the appeal, and record this decision in the “VPAA Review” section of the complaint form.
Copies of the updated form will be provided to the department and the student via official VCSU email; the original will be filed in the Office of Academic Affairs.
Sponsored by: Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee
Reviewed: Winter 1996
Reviewed: Winter 2004-2005
Revised Number: February 2010
Revised: May 2015
Revised & Name Change: April 2020