Grade Appeals
Grade Appeal Policy
Undergraduate Grade Appeal Policy
Students who wish to appeal a grade which they feel was capriciously or prejudicially given shall first attempt to resolve the issue through discussion with the instructor responsible for the course within 30 days of the final course grade being posted. If a satisfactory resolution is not possible after discussion with the instructor, the student may then submit a written grade appeal to the department/school chair/director, providing a detailed justification for the appeal, including any supporting materials, and indicating why the student believes the grade determination was prejudicial or capricious. The department chair or school director will try to resolve the grade issue with the student and the instructor. If the chair/director determines that the appeal cannot be resolved at their level, a faculty-student appeals committee will be appointed by them. This committee will consist of a student representative chosen from nominations made by IS&T undergraduate advisors; and, three members of the department faculty - one selected by the student submitting the appeal, one selected by the instructor for the class, and one selected by the chair/director to chair the committee. This committee will meet to evaluate the grade appeal. During that meeting the instructor, the student, and any other appropriate parties invited to speak by the committee may present their justifications. If the committee finds that the grade was not assigned in a prejudicial or capricious manner, the appeal is considered concluded, and the student and the instructor are so notified. If the grade appeal is supported, the chair/director will report the finding to the student and the instructor, and will direct the registrar to change the grade to that determined by the appeal committee.
Last Approved: CSCI on 9-18-2020, ISQA on 5-1-2020 and Si2 in 5-4-2020
Rationale for adjustment of policy:
Per NU BoR Policy: BOR Bylaws, Chapter 5, 5.3 Academic Evaluation.
“Students shall be informed of the requirements, standards, objectives, and evaluation procedures at the beginning of each individual course. Each student shall be given a performance evaluation during the progress of the course if requested. Each College or school shall provide for a faculty-student appeals committee for students who believe that evaluation of their academic progress has been prejudiced or capricious. Such procedure shall provide for changing a student's evaluation upon the committee's finding that an academic evaluation by a member of a faculty has been improper. Each college or school shall provide a mechanism by which students have an opportunity to report their perceptions of courses and the methods by which they are being taught, provided, however, that such mechanism shall protect members of the faculty from capricious and uninformed judgments.”
Per our UNOMAHA Registrar: UNO can provide access to student’s educational records to those with a “need to know.” This can include faculty, administration, clerical and professional employees and other persons who manage student education records – including student employees or agents. It can also include contractors, volunteers or others performing institutional functions. All of these folks fall under the category of “school officials.” FERPA does not define “school officials,” but it does state that institutions must establish their own criteria, according to their own procedures and requirements.
Graduate Grade Appeal Policy
All graduate student grade appeals must follow the Graduate College Grade Appeal Policy