Academic Appeals Policy

The following policy applies to student appeals for exception to some University academic policy, waiver of academic requirements or dispute over student grades.  Note: The conditions under which a grade dispute may enter the appeals process are described in the "Grading" section.

1. Requests for exceptions to some academic policies and procedures described in this chapter may begin as Academic Petitions which are submitted to the attention of the Senior Associate Director of Academic Advising, are decided by the Assistant Dean of Academic Services or designee. The Assistant Dean of Academic Services or designee reserves the right to refer petitions to the Petition Advisory Group for disposition.
2. Student petitions on academic issues must be filed using the Academic Petition form. It is the student’s responsibility to provide all necessary supporting documentation with the petition when submitted for review. The Assistant Dean of Academic Services, Petition Advisory Group and/or Academic Appeals Committee will consider information from the instructor, as well as information from any other source deemed appropriate for consideration of the petition. 
3. If a petition is not answered in a way that satisfies the student, he or she may advance an academic appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee. The student may submit an appeal by the Academic Appeals Committee only if new information is available after a decision has been rendered. 
4. The decision of the Academic Appeals Committee is considered final. If the student believes that procedural due process was not followed, he or she may request review by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, which will render a decision as to whether the Academic Appeals Committee afforded procedural due process to the student in its consideration of the appeal.