Victory University 2012-2013 Academic Catalog

1. The student must first attempt to appeal informally to the faculty member who assigned the
grade within thirty (30) days following the posting of the grade. If the faculty member finds that
the assigned grade is incorrect, he/she will initiate the appropriate change procedure. If the
change is made at this point, the matter is concluded and the Registrar’s office is contacted to
make the necessary grade change.
2. If the faculty member is no longer employed by the University, the student should confer
with the chair of the department in which the course was offered. The department chair will
attempt to obtain a written recommendation about the grade from the former faculty member.
If appropriate information is not available through this means, then the grade appeal will
continue. The department chair will represent the interests of the faculty member.
3. If the appeal is not resolved at step one (above), the student must write a letter to the
Department Chair explaining in detail why the grade is unsatisfactory. A copy of the letter will
be provided to the faculty member concerned. The student must send this letter and/or
supporting documents within fifteen (15) days after receiving notice that the appeal is not
resolved. If the Department Chair determines that the assigned grade is in his/her judgment
inappropriate, the Chair should recommend to the faculty member that the grade be changed.
The faculty member may or may not concur with the Chair’s recommendation. If the grade is
changed to the student’s satisfaction, the matter is concluded. If the grade is not changed, the
Chair will advise the student of the right to appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
(VPAA). Additionally, if the Department Chair is the faculty member in question, the appeal can
continue to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA).
4. The VPAA may resolve the grade appeal at this stage in one of three ways. The VPAA may
decide that the grade appeal is without merit and conclude the appeal process. The VPAA may
consider that the grade appeal has sufficient merit and decide in favor of the student or in favor
of the faculty member (or department chair) and conclude the appeal process. In some cases,
the VPAA may decide that the grade appeal has sufficient merit but additional consideration is
required to resolve the appeal. The VPAA may form an ad hoc committee to hear the student’s
appeal within fifteen (15) days after the appeal comes to the office of the VPAA.
a) The ad hoc committee will be comprised of one full time faculty member
selected by the student and one selected by the faculty member. A third faculty
member selected by the VPAA (or someone he/she designates) will serve as the
Chair of the committee.
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