Final Grade Appeal Process

The assessment of the quality of a student’s academic performance is one of the major professional responsibilities of college faculty members and is solely and properly their responsibility. It is essential for the standards of the academic programs at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and the integrity of the certificates, diplomas, and degrees conferred by the college that the professional judgments of faculty members not be subject to pressures or other interference from any source. It is necessary, however, that any semester grade be based on evidence of the students’ performance in a course, that the student have access to the evidence, that the instructor be willing to explain and interpret the evidence to the student, and that a grade be determined in accordance with written standards. The written standards should be presented in each course within the first quarter of the term.

A student who believes an error was made in the assigning of their final grade may take the following steps:

Informal Appeal Process

The student submits written documentation identifying the course and concern for the final grade to the Divisional Dean or other appropriate academic administrator supervising the area in which the concern arose.
The student will confer with the instructor of the course with the goal of reaching a mutual understanding about the assigned grade. If the understanding is reached, the appeal process is complete.
If the student and instructor were unable to reach a mutual understanding regarding the assigned grade, the student will confer with the Department Coordinator and instructor of the course in an effort to reach an understanding.

Formal Appeal Process

The student submits written documentation identifying the course and concern for the final grade to the Divisional Dean or other appropriate academic administrator supervising the area in which the concern arose.
The student will confer with the instructor with a goal to reach mutual understanding about the assigned grade. If the understanding is reached, the appeal process is complete.
If the student and instructor were unable to reach a mutual understanding regarding the assigned grade, the student will confer with the Department Coordinator and instructor of the course in an effort to reach an understanding.
If an understanding cannot be reached with the Department Coordinator and course instructor, the student may submit a petition in writing (no later than the end of the fourth week of the semester following that for which the grade is being appealed, excluding the Summer term) to the Divisional Dean to activate the formal grade appeal process. The Divisional Dean convenes the Grade Appeals Committee within ten (10) school days (except Summer and semester breaks) of receipt of the petition and asked to review the petition.
The Grade Appeals Committee will invite the student to present their appeal to the committee. The committee may invite additional individuals to gather more information.
The Grade Appeals Committee will submit a recommendation for the appeal to the Divisional Dean. The committee may recommend the grade stand as assigned or the grade was not assigned appropriately and merits further action. The Divisional Dean will review the recommendation from the committee, collect additional information as needed and make the final decision regarding the grade in question within 10 school days of receipt of the recommendation of the Committee. The Divisional Dean will discuss the final decision with the instructor. The Dean will communicate the final decision with the student. Should the decision involve a grade change, the Divisional Dean shall direct the instructor to make the grade change. The decision of the Divisional Dean is final.

Composition of the Grade Appeals Committee

A grade appeals committee will be convened to consider appeals from students regarding the final grade assigned in a course. The committee is appointed by the Divisional Dean and shall consist of four full-time faculty members and two full-time students. The two students shall be recommended by the college’s student senate/government. If a faculty committee member is the instructor whose assignment of a grade is being appealed, the Divisional Dean may appoint a substitute faculty member to the committee in place of that instructor. If a member of the committee has been involved in mediating a solution to the grade appeal previous to the formal appeal stage, the Divisional Dean may appoint a substitute member to the committee. If a student member is appealing a grade, then the majority of officers of the student senate/government may select an alternate student committee member.