Grade Appeal Policy and Procedures

I. Statement of Policy

The purpose of the Student Grade Appeal Procedure is to provide an orderly and equitable process for resolving differences between students and faculty relating to final course grades. A course grade assigned in a manner consistent with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute policy can be changed only by the instructor. College administrators can direct a grade to be changed only when it is determined through the procedure established by this policy that the faculty member assigned the course grade impermissibly or arbitrarily as defined below.

Faculty Responsibility:

It is a fundamental principle of higher education that faculty members are expected to exercise their professional judgment in evaluating student performance. At the same time, faculty members have the responsibility to specify in each of their courses at the beginning of the academic term:

1. Course requirements and expectations for academic performance
2. Procedures for evaluating performance (method(s) of evaluation and grading scales).

Faculty members must clearly document to all students in the course any subsequent additions to or changes in these requirements, standards, and procedures. Finally, faculty members have the responsibility to apply the specified grading criteria equitably to the academic performance of all students in the course regardless of their race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disabling condition, or other personal characteristics.

Student Responsibility:

Students have the responsibility to know and adhere to college policies and standards pertaining to them. As students willingly accept the benefits of membership in the Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute academic community, they are obligated to uphold and observe the principles and standards articulated in the Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute Catalog and the Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute Student Handbook.

II. Applications and Definitions

For purposes of this policy, a course grade is deemed to have been assigned arbitrarily or impermissibly if, by clear and convincing evidence, a student establishes that:

1. The course grade was based upon the student’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disabling condition, or other personal characteristics, or for some other arbitrary or personal reason unrelated to the instructor’s exercise of his or her professional academic judgment in the evaluation of the academic performance of the student; or
2. The course grade was assigned in a manner not consistent with the standards and procedures for evaluation established by the instructor, usually at the beginning of the course in the course syllabus but supplemented on occasion during the semester in other clearly documented communication directed to the class as a whole; or
3. The course grade assigned by the instructor was the result of a clear and material mistake in calculating or recording grades. Individual elements (e.g., assignments, tests, activities, projects) which contribute to a course grade are generally NOT subject to appeal or subsequent review during a grade appeal procedure. However, individual elements may be appealed under these procedures providing ALL of the following conditions are met:
   1. The student presents compelling evidence that one or more individual elements were graded on arbitrary or impermissible grounds (defined in 1 - 3 above in this section);
   2. Grounds can be established for determining a professionally sound grade for the appealed element(s); and
   3. The ensuing grade for each appealed element would have resulted in a different course grade than that assigned by the faculty member.

III. Procedure

A student who believes his/her final grade in a course has been incorrectly assigned may seek corrective action through the following procedure.

Informal Grade Appeal Process:

Every reasonable effort should be made to resolve the matter at the informal level.

Step 1 - Consultation with the faculty member:

The student should first request a meeting with the instructor to explain why he/she considers the grade to be incorrect. If the instructor is not available, the student should contact the program coordinator/director or dean to schedule an appointment with the instructor. This meeting must occur within 10 business days from the day the final grade was posted. The instructor should document the result of the meeting and maintain this record in the event the appeal proceeds further.

Step 2 - Consultation with the program coordinator/director:

If the student and the instructor fail to reach a mutual agreement, the student may submit a written appeal to the program coordinator/director of the area within five (5) business days. The coordinator/director should document the result of the meeting and maintain this record in the event the appeal proceeds further.

Step 3 - Consultation with the dean:

If the student and program coordinator/director fail to reach a mutual agreement, the student may submit a written appeal to the dean within five (5) business days. The dean should document the result of the meeting and maintain this record in the event the appeal proceeds further.

Formal Grade Appeal Process:

If the dispute over the course grade cannot be resolved through the informal process outlined above, the student may submit a Grade Appeal Form, available from Student Services, to the president within five (5) business days of the consultation with the dean.

Step 4 - Appeal to the president:

a. Once the formal grade appeal is received, the president will appoint a grade appeal committee to hear the appeal within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the appeal.

b. The grade appeal committee will be chaired by the president, or a designee, who will be a non-voting member except in the case of a tie. Voting members will consist of four (4) faculty members not associated with the appeal, one (1) student representative with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or greater, and the vice president of instruction.

c. The grade appeal hearing will be conducted in closed session in accordance with the Open Meetings Law unless otherwise requested in writing by the student. Neither the college nor the student will be permitted to have legal representation during the grade appeal hearing.

d. The committee will be made up of members from the campus of attendance to assure a fair and equitable hearing.

e. The committee will hear all parties involved and render a written decision that is considered to be fair and educationally sound within ten (10) business days. The decision of the committee will be the final binding decision for the institution.

IV. Substitution Provisions

In the event that the faculty member whose grade is being reviewed is also a dean or program coordinator/director, the vice president of instruction shall do those things required by the dean or coordinator/director. In the event that the faculty member whose grade is being reviewed is also the vice president of instruction, the president can name an appropriate substitute to perform the functions of the vice president as required by this policy.