Academic appeals consist of complaints from students concerning final grades. Most of these appeals can and should be resolved by the student's direct discussion and communication with the faculty member involved. A student appeal of a final grade must be formally initiated within three months following the posting of that grade. If the three month deadline has lapsed, the grade becomes permanent on the student's transcripts.

The following steps are to be followed by students who wish to file an academic appeal in order to provide them with due process:

1. The student shall meet with the faculty member in an attempt to resolve the complaint.

2. If the matter is not resolved at Step 1, the student shall submit a written appeal to the administrator to whom the faculty member reports, e.g., the Dean, Associate Dean or Director for the instructional area. The written appeal must specify the nature of the complaint and the relief the student is seeking. The administrator with whom the appeal is filed will then schedule a meeting with the student and the faculty member in an attempt to resolve the complaint. The administrator and faculty member with whom the complaint is filed will then communicate a decision in writing to the student.

3. If the matter is not resolved at Step 2, the student shall submit a written appeal outlining the nature of the complaint and the relief sought to the Vice President for Academic Services or the Vice President of Student Services if the appeal involves instruction in the student services area. The appropriate Vice President will then schedule a meeting with the student to hear the student's complaint. The appropriate Vice President shall schedule a meeting with the student and the Academic Appeals Committee consisting of the Vice President and three randomly selected full-time tenured faculty in order to hear the student's complaint. The composition of the Academic Appeals Committee shall be randomly determined by the President of the Faculty Association on the basis of each individual student complaint; the committee will not function as a standing committee. The Vice President will communicate the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee in writing to the student. In academic appeals, the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee is final.

This process will be accomplished in a reasonable period of time not to extend beyond six months of the occurrence of the incident which gives rise to the complaint. A student's failure to comply with the steps of the aforementioned process will nullify the complaint.