Academic and grade appeal process

Summary of procedures

Deadlines mentioned in the following summaries may or may not be subject to extension. If a deadline is missed, ORCA should be contacted for guidance.

Informal resolution attempts: Informal resolution attempts must occur before a student can initial any formal appeal process. For grade appeals, informal resolution means contacting the instructor in writing to express why the grade was made in error and to propose a change. For academic decision appeals, informal resolution means contacting the academic leader of the unit making the decision and asking for a reconsideration.

The student must attempt informal resolution, in writing, within the first 15 class days of the following regular semester (regular semesters are spring and fall). Students are advised to copy ORCA (uaf-orca@alaska.edu) and maintain a copy of communications. 

For grade appeals, the instructor must give the student a final decision within 5 class days. 

For academic decision appeals, the academic leader must  inform the dean (and any other relevant parties) that an informal resolution has been requested, then the dean must give the student a final decision within 10 class days.

 

Request for formal review: A request for formal review must be submitted within 20 class days of the next regular semester (regular semesters are spring and fall). 

For grade appeals, fill out the . If you cannot access the online form, please contact ORCA for assistance in making a request. The request must explain why the student feels there has been either a grading error (a mathematical miscalculation of a final grade or an inaccurate recording of the final grade) or arbitrary and capricious grading (the assignment of a final course grade on a basis other than performance in the course; the use of standards different from those applied to other students in the same course; or substantial, unreasonable and/or unannounced departure from the course instructor’s previously articulated standards or criteria). The student should include, at minimum, the following documentation with their request: A personal statement detailing the basis for appeal, the course syllabus,  a printout of the grade being appealed, and printouts of informal resolution communications with the instructor.

For academic decision appeals, fill out the . If you cannot access the online form, please contact ORCA for assistance in making a request. By submitting a request for a review, the student acknowledges that no additional mechanisms exist within the university for the informal review of the decision. The student should include, at minimum, the following documentation with their request: A personal statement detailing the basis for appeal, a printout of the academic decision notification, and printouts of informal resolution communications with the academic leader.

Committee formation: A formal review committee will be appointed. A member of ORCA staff will serve as a non-voting facilitator for committee activities.

For grade appeals, the committee will consist of three voting faculty members and one non-voting student representative.

For academic decision appeals, the committee will consist of one non-voting faculty member from the academic unit which made the decision, two voting faculty members from the same college or school (but not the same academic unit), one voting faculty member from a different college or school, and one non-voting student representative. If the appeal is from a graduate program, the committee will also include a non-voting representative from the graduate school.

Formal review stage 1 - preliminary review (committee only): The appeal committee will meet within 10 class days of the student’s request. The meeting date will be announced at least three class days in advance. All documentation sought to be considered by the committee must be submitted no later than two class days prior to the meeting (unless the committee votes to accept documentation after the deadline).

During the first stage, the committee will determine whether the request meets the minimum qualifications for formal review. If not, the request will be dismissed (a written dismissal explanation will be issued within 5 class days of such a decision). 

A request will be dismissed if: 

  • The student did not first engage in written attempts to resolve the matter informally;
  • The request was made late and no extensions have been granted;
  • The particular grade or decision has already been properly appealed; or
  • The student’s allegations – if taken as entirely true – could not constitute a grading error or an arbitrary and capricious decision.

Formal review stage 2 - hearing: If the request is not dismissed, the committee will invite the participants to give presentations and answer committee questions. This might happen immediately after the preliminary review meeting or it might be scheduled for a later date (within 10 class days).  The hearing is not open to the public. Only committee members and the participants may attend (however, participants may bring an advocate). The committee has discretion to allow other witnesses to present information and answer questions. 

The hearing is a non-confrontational fact-finding process where the student and instructor will be provided an opportunity to present relevant information and clarification of the materials submitted. 

Formal review stage 3 - vote (committee only): After the hearing is complete, the committee will meet in private to deliberate and take a vote. Within 5 class days of the hearing, written findings and conclusions will be issued. The committee’s decision constitutes the final decision of the university.

Policies

*All roles of the Office of the Provost within these Faculty Senate policies have been transferred to ORCA.