Policies for Grade Appeals & Unsatisfactory Progress
Requesting a Grade Appeal
- Grade appeals corresponds to the student not believing the grade they receives reflects the work they did in the course.
- If the student wants to appeal the grade, they can follow the process outlined in T20.01. The process can be found under 2.5 in the policy and requires the student to make the request through the Instructor, Department Chair, Dean and Chair of Senate if needed.
- If the grade appeal is successful, and their grade is changed to a B (in the example of Projects II), there is no need to continue with the unsatisfactory progress review as they met the requirement to enroll in the next course.
- If the grade appeal is unsuccessful, then you can continue forward to reviewing their progress to see if they can continue despite not making satisfactory progress as defined by the program.
Grade Appeal to the Instructor
Student reaches out to Instructor about their grade. Instructor will meet with student to discuss within 10 days of their request.
- The instructor can decide to change the grade or keep the grade as is.
- If the student is still unsatisfied with their grade, they can contact the Department Chair (Currently Managing Direct, Academic & Business Operations) to appeal their grade.
- The Manager of Programs & Student Services should be present.
Grade Appeal to Department Chair
Student e-mails Department Chair about appealing their grade. They must provide the following:
- Reason why they want to appeal the grade.
- All the relevant work returned by the Instructor.
The Department Chair must respond within 10 days of the request.
- The instructor will also provide them with all relevant work which has been retained.
The Chair shall first seek to resolve the concern through consultation with the Student and the Instructor.
If the matter cannot be resolved during this consultation, the Chair will arrange for an appropriately qualified person (or persons) to reevaluate the work and establish a grade, or to take such other steps as are necessary. Should the student request anonymity in such a re-evaluation, reasonable steps shall be taken to ensure it.
The Department Chair e-mails the student and instructor separately of their final decision.
- Reason why they want to appeal the grade.
- All the relevant work returned by the Instructor.
Grade Appeal to the Dean
Student who is concerned that his/her request for reconsideration has been inappropriately addressed at the departmental level may convey his/her concern to the Dean (FCAT).
The Dean will review the events and:
- where he/she is satisfied that no new evidence has been presented and that judicious and proper procedures have been followed throughout, will confirm the grade awarded at the departmental level;
- where significant evidence appears not to have been appropriately considered at the departmental level, the Dean may refer the reconsideration back to the Chair with instructions;
- where, in his/her judgment, the matter cannot be resolved at the departmental level, the Dean may initiate reconsideration by alternative means.
The decision of the Dean shall be final, subject only to an appeal to Senate.
Such appeal may go forward only with the permission of the Chair of Senate on clear evidence satisfactory to her/him that there have been improper procedures in reconsideration as undertaken. The Chair of Senate periodically will report to Senate on the disposition and nature of such requests to appeal to Senate which have not gone forward to that body.