It is the policy of Centenary College that students are responsible for fulfilling prescribed course objectives, completing stated course assignments, and adhering to stated academic standards for each course in which they are enrolled. If an instructor has evaluated a student in a professionally accepted manner, an academic appeal is not warranted. Also, it is an inappropriate recourse for questions of professional competence or academic freedoms. Only charges of arbitrariness, capriciousness, and prejudice are subject to academic appeal.
Based on these principles, issues eligible for appeal involve computational errors, application of course rules, clear and timely communication of changes to syllabi, consistency and communication of evaluation standards, and expressed bias.
Students who believe that their final grade reflects an arbitrary or capricious academic evaluation or reflects discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability may employ the following procedures to seek modification of such an evaluation.
If a student receives a final grade in a course which he/she believes is unfair, the student should first contact the faculty member involved as soon as possible, being mindful of the deadline for a written appeal to the department chair, if warranted.
If the student complaint is not resolved, the student may appeal his/her grade to the department chair. It is the student’s responsibility to provide a written statement of the specific grievance with all relevant documentation (syllabus, guidelines for papers, presentations, etc.) attached prior to the end of the drop period for the regular academic term that immediately follows the course in question.
It is the department chair’s responsibility to provide a written response to the student and faculty member within three weeks of submission of the appeal. If the department chair is unable to resolve the grade appeal to the satisfaction of either the student or faculty member involved, then the student or faculty member may make a written appeal with all relevant documentation to the Provost and Dean of the College no later than six weeks after submitting the appeal to the department chair. If the person giving the disputed grade is the department chair, the student should refer the matter instead to the Provost. The Provost may make recommendations to the student or instructor and will try to find an equitable solution to the dispute. A final decision on the grade appeal will be made by the Provost and shall be considered final.
All parties to the grade appeal process (student, instructor, or department chair) are to maintain strict confidentiality until the matter is resolved.
Any grade change must be forwarded to the Provost and Dean of the College for review and endorsement.