2011-2012 Academic Catalog - Victory University

Student Grade AppealsStudent grade appeals must be on a substantive basis. A student may appeal a course grade ifhe/she has evidence of an error in calculating the grade, failure of a faculty member to followthe grading criteria in the course syllabus, or other evidence that a grade was assigned in error.Mere dissatisfaction with a grade earned is not the basis for a grade appeal.The following steps provide guidelines for this appeal process:1. The student must first attempt to appeal informally to the faculty member who assigned thegrade within thirty (30) days following the posting of the grade. If the faculty member finds thatthe assigned grade is incorrect, he/she will initiate the appropriate change procedure. If thechange is made at this point, the matter is concluded and the Registrar’s office is contacted tomake the necessary grade change.2. If the faculty member is no longer employed by the University, the student should conferwith the chair of the department in which the course was offered. The department chair willattempt 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 willcontinue. 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 theDepartment Chair explaining in detail why the grade is unsatisfactory. A copy of the letter willbe provided to the faculty member concerned. The student must send this letter and/orsupporting documents within fifteen (15) days after receiving notice that the appeal is notresolved. If the Department Chair determines that the assigned grade is in his/her judgmentinappropriate, 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 ischanged to the student’s satisfaction, the matter is concluded. If the grade is not changed, theChair 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 cancontinue 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 maydecide that the grade appeal is without merit and conclude the appeal process. The VPAA mayconsider that the grade appeal has sufficient merit and decide in favor of the student or in favorof 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 isrequired to resolve the appeal. The VPAA may form an ad hoc committee to hear the student’sappeal within fifteen (15) days after the appeal comes to the office of the VPAA.102