Appendix C

I. Academic Appeals

(Complete policy available in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.)

1. Academic grievances are defined as the following:
   1. a claim by the student that an assigned grade is the result of arbitrary or capricious application of otherwise valid standards of academic evaluation; or
   2. a claim by the student that the standards for evaluation are arbitrary or capricious; or
   3. a claim by the student that the instructor has taken an arbitrary or capricious action which adversely affects the student’s academic progress; or
   4. a claim by the student that a University department, program, or office has made a decision not in keeping with University policy or taken an arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory action which adversely affects the student’s academic progress.
   
   
2. A student wishing to pursue an academic grievance must take the following steps to try to resolve the grievance prior to the filing of an official academic appeal:
   1. the student shall first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor;
   2. if resolution is not achieved between the student and instructor, the student shall ask the department chair to resolve the grievance;
   3. if resolution is not achieved at the department chair level, the chair shall forward a written summary to the dean of the school or college in a further effort to achieve resolution;
   4. if resolution is not achieved at this point, the student may petition for a hearing before the Board of Academic Appeals. (An appointment should be made to meet with the associate or assistant vice president for student affairs and enrollment management to obtain the necessary forms and information relative to filing the petition.)