6.5.1p Grade Appeals

Adopted: June 2005
Modified: August 2005; May 2008; May 2013; February 2015; May 2023
Last Reviewed: May 2023
Scope: Students
Contact: Vice President of Academic Affairs
References: SBTCSG Policy 6.5.1, SBTCSG Procedure 6.5.1p
Forms: Grade Appeal Form

Purpose

To provide a procedure for students at Lanier Technical College to appeal a final grade.

Procedure

A student who chooses to appeal a final course grade must adhere to the following process:

1. The student first appeals to the course instructor in writing, outlining the reasons for appealing the final course grade no later than the end of the first week of the following semester. The instructor must respond in writing no later than the end of the 3rd week of that semester.

2. If the instructor denies the appeal, the student may submit a written appeal to the appropriate Division Dean no later than the end of the 4^th week of that semester. The Division Dean will provide the student with a decision in writing by the end of the 6^th of the semester.

3. If the appeal is denied at the Division Dean level, the student may appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) no later than the end of the 7^th week of the semester or the student will lose his/her right to appeal. This appeal must be submitted at Report a Concern — Lanier Technical College under Academic Affairs Assistance, Submit Grade Appeal. The student must include any documentation he/she wishes to be considered when submitting the online form.

4. The VPAA will review the appeal, and determine further steps to be taken. If there is sufficient evidence that a grade appeal is warranted, the VPAA will activate a Grade Appeal Committee to hear the student's appeal. Members of this committee include:

An Academic Dean, other than the one consulted in Step 2, to serve as Chair and appointed by the VPAA
An instructor from a department not involved in the appeal and appointed by the VPAA
An instructor selected by the student making the appeal
An instructor selected by the instructor whose grade is being appealed

5. Since the hearing conducted by the Grade Appeal Committee is an in-house procedure, only the student, the instructor, and appointed members of the committee may be present. Exceptions to this would be granted by the VPAA only in the case of a disabled student requiring special assistance that could not be provided by a member of the committee.

6. A meeting of the Grade Appeal Committee is scheduled by the Committee Chair within two weeks of the Chair receiving the appeal. On the date of the hearing, the Grade Appeal Committee convenes at the appointed place and hears evidence presented by the instructor and then by the student. Each will have 15 minutes to present and the committee members may follow up with questions. Neither the student nor the instructor will be present for the other's presentation. One of the committee members will keep minutes of the proceedings.

7. Following the hearing, the committee will review and discuss the evidence and decide as to the disposition of the appeal. A formal vote will be taken by the chair to determine the outcome. The chair will submit the minutes and the completed Grade Appeal Form to the VPAA within two working days of the hearing.

The VPAA will notify the student and faculty member in writing as to the disposition of the appeal within five working days of the hearing date. The decision of the Vice President of Academic Affairs or the Grade Appeal Committee, if assembled, is final.