Graduate Academic Appeal Policy by Graduate Students

The Graduate Academic Appeal Policy shall apply in the case of a student's concern with a faculty member's alleged inconsistent treatment, procedural errors, capricious judgments, or use of inappropriate criteria in determining a grade. The Concordia University Wisconsin Graduate Appeal Policy is based on the following principles:

1. the faculty has responsibility for assignment of grades;
2. students should be free from prejudicial or capricious grading; and,
3. no grade may be assigned or changed without Graduate Review Committee faculty authorization.

Steps in the Appeal Process

1. In a Christian community, mutual respect between teachers and students as fellow redeemed children of God dictates an orderly and God-pleasing approach to resolving any grievance. Grievances of an academic nature should, whenever possible, be handled between the principals involved.  This is modeled after the guideline given us by Christ in Matthew 18. Grade appeals should be initiated with the instructor within thirty (30) days of the grade report.  If the matter is not settled at this level, within thirty (30) days the instructor will send a letter summarizing the meeting and decision to the student and will place a copy of this letter in the student’s file.

2. Grievances that cannot be settled between the student and the faculty member may be appealed in writing to the Program Director, or, in the case of a conflict of interest, to a designee appointed by the Graduate Academic  Department.  Both parties will present written evidence to support their case.  Students must initiate an appeal within thirty (30) days of receiving the letter summarizing the meeting of the student and the instructor.  The Program Director or designee shall acknowledge the appeal in writing with a copy to the instructor. The Program Director or designee shall convene and chair a Review Committee made up of three graduate faculty members: at least one must be from the department from which the student is appealing. The committee should examine  available information to determine if any of the following grounds for changing a grade are present: inconsistent treatment, procedural errors, capricious judgments, or use of inappropriate criteria. The Review Committee may request additional information from the instructor and/or may ask to see copies of the student’s work. The department shall conclude its review within 30 days. The chair of the Review Committee shall inform the instructor and student of the outcome of the review with copies to the Academic Vice President and the Registrar. If the review process finds with the student and a change in grade is recommended, the Program Director, or designee, shall notify           the instructor, discuss the findings and suggest that the instructor change the grade and so notify the student. Should the instructor decline to change the grade, the Chair or designee shall forward the findings to the Academic VicePresident who will effect the change recommended by the review committee. If the review upholds the original grade, the Department Chair or designee, having already endorsed the review body’s report, need take no further action.

3. Finally, if the student still is aggrieved, he or she may appeal a decision upholding the original grade to the Academic Vice President, providing that the Academic Vice President receives such a request for review within 15 days of the Review Committee’s decision, he or she shall examine the record created by the departmental review body, and shall uphold the deci sion of that body unless he or she finds:

1. the evidence of record does not support the findings and recommendations of the departmental review body;
2.  established procedures were not followed by the departmental review body and material prejudice to the resulted;
3.  the decision was based on factors proscribed by state or federal law regarding equal educational opportunities, or
4. the decision was arbitrary and capricious.

Should the Academic Vice President’s review find any of the above, the Academic Vice President will remand the appeal to the Graduate Review Committee for action consistent with the finding.

APPEALS PROCESS FOR ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

A student who does not maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 is automatically placed on academic probation, with nine (9) credits to raise the GPA to at least a 3.00 cumulative average. A student who does not meet the required cumulative 3.00 GPA after taking nine credits on probation, must make a written appeal to the Graduate Council within thirty days to be readmitted into the graduate program. The student may also request a hearing with the Graduate Academic Review Committee to appeal a dismissal decision.