Departmental Grade Appeal Processes

Grade Appeal Process

In the event that a student believes that a grade received was based on something other than the performance in the course, that the grade assignment was the result of more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course, or that the assignment of the grade was representative of a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards, an appeal may be made.

The student must discuss the course grade with the instructor of the course no later than 30 days into the succeeding regular academic semester.
If the student desires to appeal the grade further, the student must notify the department chairperson in writing. First complete the following form. The appeal must be made to the chairperson no later than ten (10) calendar days after the aforementioned 30 days.
The department chairperson shall notify the student in writing of the departmental decision within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the written appeal.
If the appeal is not resolved at the departmental level, the student may follow the grade appeal process outlined in the MWSU Student Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities (griff.vn/handbook.)

Grade Appeal Process

Students are responsible for meeting the standards for academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled. The establishment of the criteria for grades and the evaluation of student academic performance are the responsibilities of the instructor delegated by this University.

The grade appeal procedure is available for the review of allegedly capricious grading or clerical error by the instructor and not for the purpose of evaluating the student’s academic excellence in any particular course. Capricious grading, as the term isused here, consists only of any of the following:

the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than theperformance in the course;
the assignment of a grade to a particular student by resorting to more exacting ordemanding standards than were applied to other students in the course;
the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

Student Appeal Process

Step One

The student must discuss the course grade fully with the instructor of the course. This must be done no later than thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, beginning with the first day of classes.

Step Two

If the student desires to appeal the grade further, he or she may utilize the departmental/school grade appeal procedure. Every academic unit must have a set of grade appeal procedures which are to be made available to student upon request; copies of those procedures are to be on file in the office of the relevant academic Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The challenge must be made in writing to the appropriate department chairperson/school dean. The appeal must be made no later than ten (10) calendar days after the aforementioned thirty (30) day deadline.The department chairperson/school dean shall notify the student, in writing, of the department’s/school’s decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the written appeal.

Step Three

If the appeal is not resolved at the departmental/school level, the student may appeal to the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee https://www.missouriwestern.edu/facsenate/academic-regulations/in accordance with its rules and regulations.This appeal must be made in writing no later than ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the departmental/school decision. The student must submit his/her written appeal to the department chairperson/school dean and request that the appeal and any relevant documents regarding the case be sent to the chairperson of the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee. Examples of relevant documents include, but are not limited to:

1) course syllabi

2) course assignments

3) the graded work of the appellant

4) samples of the graded work of other students who were in the same course as the appellant.

The department chairperson/school dean will obtain all relevant documents from the course instructor and forward them to the committee chairperson within ten (10) calendar days of the student’s request. The course instructor is expected to complywith all requests for relevant documentation from his/her department chairperson/school dean. Upon review of the evidence, the committee may request any additional information that it deems necessary from the appellant and the course instructor. The committee chairperson will forward the request for additional information to the appellant and to the department chairperson/school dean. The appellant and the department chairperson/school dean must provide the additional material to the committee chairperson within five (5) calendar days of the committee’s request. Furthermore, the committee may wish to interview any of the parties involved in the appeal. If so, the committee chairperson will notify the parties to schedule the interview. The course instructor and the appellant are expected to comply with all requests for additional information and interviews. The committee chairperson will notify the student of the committee’s decision in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the written appeal. This notification will be delivered by regular mail to the postal address on file for the student and by e-mail to the student’s university e-mail address. The committee chairperson will also notify the course instructor, the department chairperson/school dean, the relevant academic dean, the Provost, and the Registrar of the committee’s decision. This notification will be transmitted tothese individuals by campus e-mail. If the committee determines that the student’s grade ought to be changed, the committee chairperson must submit a Revised Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will modify the student’s transcript within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the form from the committee chairperson. The decision of the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee is final. The grade appeal process shall be complete within the semester succeeding the awarding of the original grade. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the grade appeal process.

Grade Appeal Process

The Department grade appeal procedure is intended to be consistent with Missouri Western’s grade appeal procedure. Any conflicts should be resolved in favor of the University procedure. Students are responsible for meeting the standards for academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled. The establishment of the criteria for grades and the evaluation of student academic performance are the responsibilities of the instructor delegated by the University. The grade appeal procedure is available for the review of allegedly capricious grading or clerical error by the instructor and not for the purpose of evaluating the student’s academic excellence in any particular course. Capricious grading, as the term is used here, consists only of any of the following:

–the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than the performance in the course;
–the assignment of a grade to a particular student by resorting to more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course;
–the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

STEP 1: The student must discuss the course grade fully with the instructor of the course. This must be done no later than thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, beginning with the first day of classes. A face to face discussion is preferred. If this is not possible due to distance a video conference discussion is preferred over a telephone call.

STEP 2: If a student has discussed the grade with the instructor within thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, the student may appeal to the department chairperson within ten (10) calendar days after the meeting with the faculty member and final grade decision by the faculty member. If the instructor who gave the grade being appealed is the chairperson of the department, the student may appeal to the Dean of the College of Professional Studies in place of the chair.

The appeal should be presented in writing, and handed directly to the chairperson or to another full time Department employee, or sent by email, mail or fax. If sent by mail the postmark date will be the date used to determine a timely appeal. If the last day to appeal is a weekend or holiday the appeal date shall be extended to the first available business day. The chairperson will notify the student, in writing, of the department’s decision within thirty (30) calendar days of the receipt of the written appeal.

STEP 3: If the appeal is not resolved at the department level, the student may appeal to the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee in accordance with its rules and regulations. This step shall be in writing no later than ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the departmental decision. The department will forward all pertinent documents to the committee. The committee will notify, in writing, the student, instructor, and department of its decision of the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee is final.

The grade appeal process shall be completed within the semester succeeding the awarding of the original grade.
It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the grade appeal process.

Grade Appeal Process

• the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than the performance in the course;
• the assignment of a grade to a particular student by resorting to more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course;
• the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

Student Appeal Process

Step One
The student must discuss the course grade fully with the instructor of the course. This must be done no later than thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, beginning with the first day of classes.

Step Two
If the student desires to appeal the grade further, he or she may utilize the departmental/school grade appeal procedure. Every academic unit must have a set of grade appeal procedures which are to be made available to student upon request; copies of those procedures are to be on file in the office of the relevant academic Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The challenge must be made in writing to the appropriate department chairperson/school dean. The appeal must be made no later than ten (10) calendar days after the aforementioned thirty (30) day deadline. The department chairperson/school dean shall notify the student, in writing, of the department’s/school’s decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the written appeal.

Step Three
If the appeal is not resolved at the departmental/school level, the student may appeal to the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee in accordance with its rules and regulations. This appeal must be made in writing no later than ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the departmental/school decision. The student must submit his/her written appeal to the department chairperson/school dean and request that the appeal and any relevant documents regarding the case be sent to the chairperson of the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee. Examples of relevant documents include, but are not limited to:
1) course syllabi
2) course assiqnments
3) the graded work of the appellant
4) samples of the graded work of other students who were in the same course as the appellant.
The department chairperson/school dean will obtain all relevant documents from the course instructor and forward them to the committee chairperson within ten (10) calendar days of the student’s request. The course instructor is expected to comply with all requests for relevant documentation from his/her department chairperson/school dean. Upon review of the evidence, the committee may request any additional information that it deems necessary from the appellant and the course instructor. The committee chairperson will forward the request for additional information to the appellant and to the department chairperson/school dean. The appellant and the department chairperson/school dean must provide the additional material to the committee chairperson within five (5) calendar days of the committee’s request. Furthermore, the committee may wish to interview any of the parties involved in the appeal. If so, the committee chairperson will notify the parties to schedule the interview. The course instructor and the appellant are expected to comply with all requests for additional information and interviews. The committee chairperson will notify the student of the committee’s decision in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the written appeal. This notification will be delivered by regular mail to the postal address on file for the student and bye-mail to the student’s university e-mail address. The committee chairperson will also notify the course instructor, the department chairperson/school dean, the relevant academic dean, the Provost, and the Registrar of the committee’s decision. This notification will be transmitted to these individuals by campus e-mail. If the committee determines that the student’s grade ought to be changed, the committee chairperson must submit a Revised Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will modify the student’s transcript within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the form from the committee chairperson. The decision of the Academic Regulations and Standards Committee is final. The grade appeal process shall be complete within the semester succeeding the awarding of the original grade. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the grade appeal process.

GRADE APPEAL PROCESS FORM

Grade Appeal Process

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the grade appeal procedure.
The student must first discuss the course grade fully with the instructor of the course. This must be done no later than thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding semester beginning with the first day of classes.

Grounds for Appeal

The MWSU Student Handbook allows for grade appeal only under the following circumstances and the Department adheres to these grounds:

clerical error
capricious grading, defined as
- The assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than the performance in the course;
- The assignment of a grade to a particular student by resort to more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course;
- The assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

Departmental Responsibility and Procedure

If after a meaningful discussion with the instructor (which must take place within thirty [30] calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, beginning with the first day of classes) the student feels he/she has grounds for appeal under the criteria above, the student must submit to the Department Chair a written statement explaining the discussion with the instructor and citing the grounds for appeal and requesting that a grade appeal committee be formed. The written request must be received no later than ten calendar days after the aforementioned 30-day deadline. The student will provide any evidence relevant to the claim.
Upon receipt of the written appeal, the Chair will ensure that the student has met with the instructor. A Grade Appeal Committee will be formed (as outlined in Section II.B.i of the Department Policy Guide) and the first review whether the appeal is valid under the Grounds for Appeal above.
If the Committee proceeds, it will follow the procedures outlined in Section II.B.i of the Departmental Policy Guide, keeping such records as necessary until the deadline for filing an appeal with the MWSC Academic Regulations and Standards Committee has passed.

Grade Appeal Process

The following procedures are followed in the Department of Psychology when a student appeals a grade earned in any of our courses:

1. The student must initially discuss the course grade fully with the course instructor to try to arrive at an agreeable solution. This must be done no later than thirty (30) calendar days into the succeeding regular academic semester, beginning with the first day of classes.

2. If an agreement cannot be reached, the student sees the chairperson at which time the student’s reason for appealing the grade is discussed. If a satisfactory solution is not arrived at, a formal appeal may then be made in writing. The appeal must be made no later than ten calendar days after the aforementioned 30 day deadline.

3. After talking with the student and receiving the written appeal, the chairperson visits with the faculty member before reaching a decision about the grade appeal.

4. The student then revisits the chairperson to receive the department’s position concerning the grade. A written notice will be sent within 30 days of receipt of the written appeal.

If agreement is not reached, the student would be advised to contact the Academic Standards and Regulations committee. Contact information is available at https://www.missouriwestern.edu/facsenate/academic-regulations/

Grade Appeal Process

In the event that a nursing student believes that a grade received was based on something other than the performance in the course, that the grade assignment was the result of more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course, or that the assignment of the grade was representative of a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards, an appeal may be made.

The student must discuss the course grade with the instructor of the course no later than 30 days into the succeeding regular academic semester.
If the student desires to appeal the grade further, the student must notify the department chairperson in writing. The appeal must be made to the chairperson no later than ten (10) calendar days after the aforementioned 30 days.
The department chairperson shall notify the student in writing of the departmental decision within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the written appeal.
If the appeal is not resolved at the departmental level, the student may follow the grade appeal process outlined in the MWSU Student Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities (http://griff.vn/handbook).

If other concerns arise, the student is expected to discuss these concerns openly and honestly with the appropriate faculty member using the designated chain-of-command. The student may also seek guidance from their academic advisor and/or Chairperson. If resolution cannot be reached, the student may file a Formal Complaint and follow the designated process.

For additional information, please consult the Grade Appeals policy.