Grade Review and Appeal Operating Procedure 300.2

The following Operating Procedure is established in accordance with the Student Grade Review and Appeal Policy 300.

1. Grade Review and Appeal Definitions

• Informal Grade Review is the first level of review a student may seek in an attempt to resolve a final grade issue for a course directly with the Faculty Member.
• Formal Student Grade Review Petition is the second level of review conducted by the Administrator if a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the Informal Grade Review or is unable to contact the Faculty Member because of the Faculty Member’s absence.
• Grade Review Appeal is the third level of review conducted by the President, or Board of Trusties if a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the Formal Student Grade Review Petition.
• Faculty Member is the Faculty Member responsible for issuing the grade for the credit course in which a student is enrolled (lead Instructor).
• Administrator is the program director through which the course at issue is offered and to whom the Faculty Member reports.

1. Grounds for a Grade Review Petition and Appeal

A grade review, informal or formal, will not be considered if the reason for the request is that a student is generally dissatisfied with a grade or disagrees with a Faculty Member’s professional judgment of a student’s performance.

The grounds for a grade review must include corroborating evidence of at least one of the following.

1. The Faculty Member inaccurately calculated the student’s grade.
2. The Faculty Member determined a grade using a process different from that identified in the original course syllabus or in a syllabus that the Faculty Member has modified and communicated the modification to students. The Faculty Member determines the means of such communication.
3. The Faculty Member applied an inconsistent grading standard within the course.
4. The Faculty Member violated a written agreement with the student.
5. The Faculty Member violated an institutional policy in assigning course work, administering exams and/or in assigning grades.

III. Grade Review and Appeal Procedure and Deadlines

• Informal and/or Formal Grade Review: A student must request an Informal Grade Review with the Faculty Member prior to initiating a Formal Student Grade Review Petition. If a student is not satisfied with the results of the Informal Grade Review or the Faculty Member is absent, the student may initiate a Formal written complaint within forty-five (45) calendar days of the programs release of a final course grade to the student.
• Grade Review Appeal: A student may appeal Administrator’s decision related to the Formal Student Grade Review Petition process on procedural concerns only, where it is believed that the final determination was reached without following this Operating Procedure. In such case, any Grade Review Appeal must be initiated within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the Administrator’s written response to the student.
  
  The intent of this Operating Procedure is to provide for the prompt review of a student’s request for review of a final grade for a credit course. Due dates may be extended for either party by approval of the president or board of trusties, if an acceptable reason is provided for the delay. However, current grades are used for determination of eligibility for next level courses, until the final decision under this Operating Procedure has been issued. The request for an extension must be made prior to the expiration of the specified deadline(s).

1. Grade Review Petition Process
2. Informal Grade Review.

A student must first attempt an Informal Grade Review with the Faculty Member.

Step 1: Address with Faculty Member.

The student must address the final grade concern directly with the Faculty Member. A grade concern is best resolved if addressed early; therefore the student should communicate with the Faculty Member as soon as possible after the program’s release of the final course grade to the student. The Informal Grade Review should also be completed early, so the student does not miss any subsequent deadlines, such as the deadline to petition for Formal Grade Review. If unable to contact the Faculty Member, a student should proceed to Formal Student Grade Review Petition below.

The student must present verbal or written information to the Faculty Member specifying the grounds that the student believes would support a grade change (see Grounds for Grade Review Petition and Appeal above).

Step 2: Grade Review by Faculty Member.

The Faculty Member will consider the information the student has presented and within seven (14) calendar days provide a written response to the student’s personal provided email account.

If the Faculty Member determines that a grade change is appropriate, the Faculty Member must file a change of grade in a timely manner with the program director.

If the Faculty Member determines the grounds for a student’s grade appeal are not appropriate or that a student’s grade should not be changed, the Faculty Member should notify the student at the personal provided email address, and the student may file a Formal Student Grade Review Petition with appropriate documentation, as set forth below.

1. Formal Student Grade Review Petition Process.

If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the Informal Grade Review or if the student is unable to contact the Faculty Member because of the Faculty Member’s absence, the student may file a Formal Student Grade Review Petition.

Step 1: Student submission of completed Formal Student Grade Review Petition Form and written documentation.

The student must submit a submit a written grade review petition and written documentation substantiating the grounds for a grade review within forty-five (45) calendar days of the program’s release of the final credit course grade to the student. This Petition must be submitted to the program manager and may be delivered in person, by email or via U.S. Mail.

In addition to the Petition, the student must attach written documentation substantiating the grounds for grade review, including:

• Explanation of circumstances and how the Petition meets the grounds for review;

• Documentation that the Informal Grade Review with the Faculty Member has occurred (if contact with the Faculty Member was not possible, explain or document attempts to contact the Faculty Member);

• The course syllabus;

• Any related communication (papers, emails, texts) with the Faculty Member (if applicable);

• Assignment/exam/project in question (if applicable);

• Relevant institutional policy (if applicable); and

• Other relevant supporting documentation with an explanation of the relevance and importance of the material to the grade issue.

Step 2: Program Manager Review.

Upon receipt of a Petition and written documentation in the appropriate office, the Program Manager will communicate and/or meet with the student and the Faculty Member (separately or together, in Program Manager’s discretion) to review the matter.

Following review of the Petition, the Program Manager will send a written response to the student at the personal provided email address and to the Faculty Member. This written response will typically be provided within fourteen (14) calendar days following the Administrator’s receipt of the student’s Petition and written documentation. At this step, only the Faculty Member or the Program Manager may file a written change of grade.

1. Grade Review Appeal Process.

The student may appeal the Program Managers decision related to the Formal Student Grade Review Petition process on procedural concerns only, where it is believed that the final determination was reached without following this Operating Procedure. In such case, the student may send a written request to the president or designee for a Grade Review Appeal, citing the procedural concerns. This request must be sent to the President or designee within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date of the Program Manager written response to the student’s Petition.

Step 1: Resubmission of Formal Student Grade Review Petition and attachments.

If a student submits a written request to the President or designee for evaluation of the student’s Formal Student Grade Review Petition and written documentation, the president or designee will request a complete copy of the Petition and documentation from the Program Manager who conducted the Formal Grade Review. The student may supply a copy of this material and any additional documentation if desired.

The written appeal to the president or designee may be delivered in person to the office of the president or designee, by email or via U.S. Mail to MEA address of the president or designee.

Step 2: Review of Appeal by President or board of trusties.

Upon receipt of the student’s Petition and documentation, the President or designee will review the information submitted to determine if the Grade Review Appeal meets the criteria for appeal.

These criteria are met if it is determined that: i) the grounds for Grade Review as presented meet the requirements set forth above under Grounds for Grade Review Petition and Appeal and ii) the student has properly followed the Grade Review and Appeal Procedure and Deadlines set forth in this Operating Procedure.

If the President or designee concludes that the request for a Grade Review Appeal does not meet the criteria for an appeal as described in this Operating Procedure, the President or designee will advise the student in an email to the student’s personal provided email account within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of the student’s written appeal to the President or designee. The student’s grade appeal rights end at this point.

If the President or designee determines that the request for a Grade Review Appeal meets the criteria for a grade appeal as stated in this Operation Procedure, the President or designee will review relevant documentation and meet with the student, the Faculty Member, and the Program Manager (separately or together, in the President’s or designee’s discretion).

At the conclusion of the President’s or designee’s review, the President or designee will send written notification of the decision to the email accounts of the Faculty Member, the Program Manager, and the student at the personal provided email address within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date of appeal.

If the President’s or designee’s review finding support changing a grade, the President or designee will coordinate with the Faculty Member and the Program Manager the filing of a written change of grade.

1. Appeal Determination

The decision of the President or designee shall be final for both the student and the Faculty Member.

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