I. Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Academic Appeals Policy is to secure equitable solutions to problems of an academic nature that affect a student’s academic progress. The Policy seeks to clarify and protect both the rights of students for fair and impartial evaluation of their academic performance and the responsibility of faculty members to evaluate student’s academic performance based on any method that is professionally acceptable, communicated clearly, and applied equally to all members of the class or program.
Faculty Responsibility. Faculty members are expected to exercise their professional judgment in evaluating student performance and to specify in writing for each of their courses at the beginning of the academic term: a) course requirements and expectations, and b) procedures for evaluating academic performance and assigning grades. Faculty members must also communicate in writing to all students in the course any subsequent additions to or changes in course or program requirements or grading procedures. Finally, faculty members have the responsibility to apply the specified grading and academic performance criteria equitably to all students in the course regardless of their race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, or other personal characteristics.
Student Responsibility. Students have the responsibility to know and adhere to the policies and standards pertaining to them, including institutional, program, and course requirements and policies. As members of Community College of Denver’s academic community, students are obligated to uphold and observe the principles and standards articulated in the CCD Student Academic Integrity Policy and the CCD Student Code of Conduct.
II. Basis and Deadlines for Appeals
Academic appeals may be instituted in the following areas:
• Final course grades
• Academic dismissal from a course or program
• Denial of program completion/graduation
Only the instructor can change a course grade assigned in a manner consistent with CCD Grade Policy (see CCD Catalog or Faculty Handbook). College administrators can direct a grade or course/program dismissal to be changed only when it is determined through the procedure established by this policy that a decision regarding a course grade or course/program dismissal derived from any of the following:
- Some personal basis or arbitrary rationale;
- Standards unreasonably different from those that were applied to other students;
- A substantial, unreasonable, or unannounced departure from previously articulated standards; or
- The result of a clear and material mistake in calculating or recording grades or academic progress.
Deadlines for Academic Appeal Requests.
The student must initiate final grade appeals within thirty calendar days of the awarding of the grade.
Academic dismissal from a course or program or denial of program completion/graduation must be initiated within ten calendar days following the notification to the student.
Requests for review submitted after these deadlines will be heard only in exceptional cases as determined by the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs.
Note: Appeals/grievances of a non-academic nature are filed with Office of Student and Enrollment Services in accordance with the CCD Student Grievance Procedure.
III. Procedure
The student seeking an academic appeal must follow all the steps as outlined below in sequence.
Students have the right to use an advocate at any point in this process. The advocate may assist with the appeal request and participate in meetings with the instructor, department chair, dean, and vice president. The advocate may not function in an official legal capacity or speak for the student, as his/her sole role is to provide support for the student in the appeal process.
Step 1. Consultation with the Instructor
When a student believes that a course grade or academic decision is incorrect, the student must arrange a conference with the faculty member involved as soon as possible Every effort should be made to resolve the issue in this informal process . If the issue is not resolved, the student may initiate the formal appeal process (Steps 2 - 6).
Step 2. Formal Request for Academic Appeal.
The student may initiate a formal appeal by submitting a written statement to the Department Chair/Coordinator describing the exact nature of the complaint and the remedy the student is seeking. This written “Request for Academic Appeal” must be submitted within the timelines specified above and must include the following:
- A statement of the reason(s) the student believes the grade or academic dismissal was incorrectly or arbitrarily assigned;
- The informal steps taken to resolve the disagreement over the grade or dismissal; and
- The resolution sought.
The written request for academic appeal may be accompanied by any additional evidence (e.g., papers, tests, syllabi, written documentation from witnesses) the student believes supports the conclusion that the grade or academic decision was impermissibly or arbitrarily assigned.
Step 3. Mediation by Department Chair/Coordinator.
Within five (5) working days of receiving the “Request for Academic Appeal,” the Department Chair/Coordinator will attempt a resolution of the disagreement between the student and the instructor. The Chair/Coordinator will review the appeal request and may meet with the student or faculty member individually or together to try to resolve the issue(s) raised in the appeal. If the Chair/Coordinator is unable to resolve the disagreement within five (5) working days, the Chair/Coordinator will forward the student's "Request for Academic Appeal" to the Academic Dean with a statement of the Chair/Coordinator’s understanding of the facts.
Step 4. Administrative Hearing by Academic Dean
Within ten (10) working days of receiving the appeal request and information from the Chair/Coordinator and any supplemental statements from the instructor or student, the Dean will review the written requests and convene an administrative hearing. Participants in the hearing will include the student, the instructor and/or the department chairperson/coordinator. If desired, the student may request a representative from Student and Enrollment Services, and the instructor may request a representative from Faculty Council. Within five (5) working days of the hearing, the Dean will provide a written decision and send it by certified mail to the student and campus mail to the faculty member and Chair/Coordinator.
Step 5. Petition for Review by Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs
Within ten (10) working days of receiving the Dean’s decision, the student or faculty member may submit a written Petition for Review to the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs for a final review of the proceedings. Failure to meet the deadline will result in the initial decision made by the Dean as being final and not subject to additional review. Upon receipt of this petition, the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs will conduct a timely review of the previous actions, meet with the individual requesting the petition, confer with others relevant to the situation, and issue a written determination of the Academic Appeal (sent by certified mail to the petitioner and by campus mail to college parties involved (faculty member, department chair/coordinator, dean) within seven (7) working days of receiving the Petition for Review.
If the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs determines that the Academic Appeal is one that warrants attention on the basis of allegations of discrimination or a violation of student rights to equal opportunity and access, he/she may call upon the Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services to join in reviewing the proceedings and making the final determination of the appeal.
Step 6. Petition for Review by President
Within five (5) working days of the Vice President’s decision, the petitioner may file a petition for final review by the college president. The president will issue his/her decision within seven (7) working days. The president’s decision is final and not subject to additional review.
Documentation must be made of each of these steps, and a final record of the appeal proceedings and its resolution will be filed in the Office of the Vice President for Learning & Academic Affairs. If a resolution is reached to the satisfaction of the student and faculty member during any of the intermediary steps in this process, documentation of this resolution will be signed and dated and filed in the Office of the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs, and copies will be distributed to all parties involved.
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