Grade Appeal Process

1. Alleged prejudice on the part of the instructor that impacts the student's final course grade.
2. Alleged failure to follow the final grading procedure established in the course syllabus impacts student's final course grades.
3. Alleged erroneous application of established grading procedures on individual assignments that impacts student's final course grade.
4. Alleged significant departure from the instructor’s, department’s, program’s, college’s, or University’s announced standards as stated in the course syllabus, catalog description, and/or other published materials that affect the student’s final course grade or academic standing. 
5. Alleged inconsistencies with University or program policy, or alleged arbitrary application of evaluation/performance standards, that results in program dismissal.
6. Alleged violation of the student Excused Absences Policy that impacts the student’s final course grade.
7. Alleged violation of a student’s approved accommodation (e.g., disability service) that affects the student’s ability to perform academically or affects the student’s final course grade.

Note: If a student plans to appeal a course grade, it is recommended that they remain in the course and continue to complete all assignments until a final decision on the case has been rendered. The final grade appeal procedure outlines grounds for filing a final course grade appeal. An appeal for a final course grade may be filed only in cases where the student plans to contest a final course grade (i.e., grade-related appeals will not be accepted for individual assignments, quiz grades, unit exams, or midterm grades). Students cannot submit an appeal until they receive an official final grade for the course. They must do so no later than 5 business days of the final grade being officially posted. Students should read UAR 112 (please link to it) before filing an appeal and be careful not to miss any deadlines or bypass any of the steps outlined in the UAR, or their case may be delayed or dismissed. They should also make sure their reasons for concern meet one of the seven criteria outlined above, or their case may be dismissed. It is recommended that students contact the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success for assistance in submitting a final course grade appeal (606-783-2003).  

For the purpose of this procedure: "Days" means University business days, not calendar days.

The student should immediately discuss any complaint with the instructor involved once the final grade has been officially posted. If the student is unwilling to meet with the instructor in person, the student can e-mail the complaint to the instructor. If the student is not able to contact the instructor, or if the complaint is not resolved at the instructor level, the student may present their concerns to the chair/associate dean* of the department to which the instructor is assigned. The chair/associate dean* will then contact the instructor in order to obtain a response regarding the student final course grade concerns.  

Upon receipt of an unacceptable response from the instructor or if the instructor does not respond, the student can file a formal final course grade appeal (please link to attached form). This should happen no later than 5 days after the final grade has been officially posted. No final course grade appeals will be considered after 5 days of official grades in a course being posted. If at any point the student wishes to end the appeal process, they may do so by indicating this in writing.

Upon receipt of the completed Final Grade Appeal Form,

1. The department chair/associate dean* will request a written response from the instructor addressing the issues raised by the student.
2. The instructor will have 5 days to respond by completing Section 3 of the Final Grade Appeal Form.
3. The department chair/associate dean will deliver copies of the case materials to the college
   dean. The college dean will have 3 days to review the case.
4. The college dean* will have a total of 8 days after the official paperwork is filed in the department
   chair's/associate dean's office to schedule a mediation meeting with the student and instructor.
   Such meetings will typically occur the Monday before classes begin for the subsequent fall
   semester (for spring semester final grade appeals) or spring semester (fall semester final grade
   appeals). The student may choose to bring one support person to the meeting who will
   remain as a silent observer during the proceedings. It will be the goal of the college dean to
   adjudicate or mediate a settlement.

Under special circumstances, the appeal meeting may be held virtually, subject to the college
dean's approval. Regardless of the meeting format, a recording will be made for
documentation purposes.

The college dean's recommended solution is to be considered by both the instructor and the student as a recommendation and not as a decision that is binding.

The day after this meeting, the college dean's recommendation will be sent to the student. This
recommendation and all documentation pertaining to the grade appeal will also be sent to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success.

Go to the Final Grade Appeal form

If the final outcome is not acceptable to the student, the student may appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee.

The student must petition a hearing before this committee within 1 day following the receipt of the college dean's* recommendation. Requests are to be made in writing and directed to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success. Requests for appeal may be submitted by:

1. Electronic mail from the student's official MSU email address to ap@moreheadstate.edu. Requests submitted from any other email address will not be accepted.
2. Paper. Requests should be submitted to the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success.

Upon receipt of the student's petition for an appeal, the Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education & Student Success will submit the records of all actions taken to date to the Academic Appeals Committee. 

Within 2 days following the student's notification of the request for appeal, the Academic Appeals Committee will meet and review the data and previous recommendations.

1. The committee may request additional information and/or the parties involved to appear before the committee. If the student appears before the committee, they may choose to bring one support person to the meeting who will remain as a silent observer during the proceedings.
2. The Academic Appeals Committee decision will be sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, with a copy being forwarded, as a matter of record, to the Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education & Student Success, student, instructor, department chair/associate dean* and the instructor's college dean* The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for enforcing the committee's decision. The committee's decision is final.

Special circumstances may necessitate an alternative timeline for the appeal process.

It is understood that anyone may appeal to the President of the University when due process has been violated or when individual rights have been disregarded. The President will only entertain complaints about a decision that has been rendered by the Academic Appeals Committee when a student's due process has been violated.

*If the course involved is a First Year Seminar (FYS) course, the FYS Administrator will act as the chair/associate dean* and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success will act as the college dean.

Within ten days following the student’s notification of the request for appeal, the Academic Standards and Appeals Committee will meet and review the data and previous recommendations.

The committee may request additional information and/or the parties involved to appear before the committee.

The Academic Standards and Appeals Committee decision will be sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, with a copy being sent as a matter of record to the Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Education & Student Success, student, faculty member, department chair/associate dean, and the faculty member's college dean. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs are responsible for enforcing the committee's decision. The committee's decision is final.

It is understood that anyone may appeal to the President of the University when due process has been violated or when individual rights are disregarded.