STUDENT ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

(Approved UAS April 8, 1994)

Academic grievances are generally defined as those (a) involving procedures, policies, and grades in courses, (b) those involving major, minor, or program (graduate or undergraduate) degree requirements, (c) those involving general undergraduate university graduation requirements such as general education, total credit, or residency requirements, or (d) graduate degree requirements such as total credit or residency requirements. Filing of a grievance is required by the end of the following regular semester after notification of grade or receipt of adverse decision. Appeals of decision must take place 30 days after receipt of notification.

a.  Resolution of an academic grievance involving procedures, policies, and grades in individual courses.
     The resolution of academic grievances is based on two principles, first, that the resolution of a grievance
     should be sought at the lowest possible level, and second, that pathways for appeal exist for both faculty
     and students. Resolution should be pursued as follows.

1. An appeal to the instructor.
2. If the grievance is not resolved to the student's satisfaction, a further appeal could be made to the unit head (or unit head equivalent for purposes of grievance, see below), who may request that the appeal be put in writing. Both the student and the faculty member will be notified in writing of the unit head's (or equivalent) decision. 
3. If the disposition by the unit head (or equivalent) is not acceptable to either party, an appeal, in writing, may be made by either party to the dean of the division or autonomous school. If the dean feels that there is some merit in the written grievance, he/she shall establish a committee to review the grievance and make a recommendation within 60 days to the dean. Such a committee shall include a representative of the dean's office, a faculty representative from the division or autonomous school of the course under appeal, and a student representative. Upon receiving the committee's recommendation in the latter procedure, the dean shall rule on the grievance. Both the student and the faculty member will be notified in writing of the dean's decision. 
4. If the disposition by the dean is not acceptable to either party, an appeal, in writing, may be made to the Provost. The Provost's review and judgment in the case will be final. Both the student and the faculty member will be notified in writing of the Provost's decision.

In cases where the faculty member in question also serves as the unit head (or unit head equivalent for purposes of grievance), then the dean shall appoint a suitable faculty member from the division or autonomous school to function as unit head for purposes of grievance. In a  similar fashion, if the faculty member in question also serves as dean, then the Provost shall appoint a faculty member to act as the unit head for purposes of grievance. If an appeal is sought in this latter case it will go directly to the Provost.

b.  Resolution of an academic grievance involving fulfillment of program, major, or minor degree requirements
     should be pursued as follows: An appeal to the unit head (or unit head equivalent for purposes of
     grievance, see (a)), or graduate program director. If the grievance is not resolved to the student's
     satisfaction at this level, an appeal to the dean of the division or autonomous school would be possible, in
     the same manner as outlined in (a). Finally, a further appeal could be made to the Provost as described in
     (a) above. 

c.  Resolution of an academic grievance involving fulfillment of general undergraduate university
     requirements, such as general education, total credits, and residency requirements should be pursued as
     follows: A written appeal to the director of the Advising Resource Center. If at this point the grievance is
     still not resolved to the student's satisfaction, a further written appeal could be  made to the Provost. In
     this case, the Provost shall establish a committee to review the grievance and make a recommendation
     within 60 days. Such a committee shall include a representative of the Provost's office, a faculty
     representative related to the student's major, and a faculty representative from outside the student's
     division. Upon receiving the committee's recommendation, the Provost will render a final judgment in the
     case. 

d.  Exception to institutional graduate degree requirements sought by individual students will be determined by the Dean of the program and the Provost.

The student filing the grievance may have an observer from the Dean of Students' office or a person of student's choice attend any meeting at which the student appears. The faculty member involved in the grievance may have an observer of his or her choice attend any meeting at which the faculty member appears.