Revised and approved by the Faculty Senate on April 28, 2021.

If a student wishes to appeal an assigned final grade, the student should first discuss the concerns with the instructor within 90 calendar days after the final grade has been posted. If the student feels that policies were violated and not properly handled by the instructor, then the student will complete a grade appeal form housed in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. After consultation with this office, the student may further appeal to the department head, the dean of the school or college, and the provost, in that order.

Grade Appeals will be considered only in the most exceptional circumstances, and are approved only in cases where the evidence strongly supports the student’s claim. Please note that simple disagreement about what constitutes fair grading is not grounds for an appeal. Department or school handbooks and/or the instructor’s syllabus define standards for grading in any given course. When a student elects to remain in a class after reading these materials, the student is understood to have accepted the grading terms for the course. The instructor is not obligated to deviate from grading standards outlined in the department or school handbooks and/or the syllabus.

Examples that do merit a final grade appeal include:

• The instructor has miscalculated a final grade;
• The instructor has violated the grading policies outlined in the syllabus without reasonable cause;
• The instructor has not provided a reasonable explanation of how the student’s work was evaluated.

Examples that do not merit a final grade appeal include:

• The instructor’s grading policies differ from other instructors in the department, college or school, or university.
• The instructor’s Attendance Policy differs from other instructors in the department, college or school, or university.
• The instructor’s Late Work Policy differs from other instructors in the department, college or school, or university.
• The grade distribution in the class in question is lower than in other sections of the same course.
• The student’s grade in the course is significantly lower than grades the student earned in similar courses.
• The grade in question will trigger academic probation, suspension, or dismissal, or will result in the loss of financial aid eligibility.

Departments and/or units are required to make available their grade appeal process online to make the process clear for students. Final grade appeal process should include department, unit, and university process with the timeline information found on the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies website.