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 The Academic Division > Grade Appeals > Enrollment Cases > Withdrawals > Telebears |
Academic Resources About the Academic Division The Academic Division can help you with any academic dispute that you may have with the University. Our services include confidential advice regarding sensitive matters, assistance with writing letters of appeal, and representation at meetings with instructors or administrators -- depending upon your needs. Please see below for information on how to handle academic conflicts. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance. Grade Appeals According to Academic Senate Regulations Title I, regulation A207, you always have the right to dispute a grade if you: Are graded using non-academic criteria, such as: considerations of race, politics, religion, sex, or other criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements;There exists both a formal and an informal process to dispute a grade on these grounds. A formal appeal can only be pursued if all informal means have been exhausted. Informal Grade Appeals Most successful grade appeals are informal. This involves discussing your concerns with the instructor. If successful, the instructor will send a grade change request to the Registrar. To pursue an informal grade appeal: (1) Gather all information related to your grade. Take a look at the grading scale and all grades received (including final exam and participation, if applicable). (2) Determine your grounds for a dispute. This may include an inaccurate judgment of your work, use of non-academic criteria, or discrimination. Document your position as best as possible. Documentation may include, for example, email exchanges with your instructor, a graded assignment, or course materials. (3) Start with your GSI. Go to his/her office hours of schedule an appointment. To be as clear and effective as possible, make sure you prepare your argument in advance. A good way to begin the discussion is: "I would like to go over the grade I received; I don't think it reflects how much time, care, and effort I put into the class.” (4) If this first meeting is unsuccessful, the next step is to speak with the professor of the course. Again, be sure to prepare your argument in advance. (5) If speaking with your professor is unsuccessful, the next step is to appeal to the department chair. Formal Grade Appeals If the informal procedure is unsuccessful, you have the right to appeal a grade formally, which involves requesting that the Department Chair form an ad-hoc Grievance Committee. This committee will review the appeal and make a recommendation to the Academic Senate Committee on Courses of Instruction. This method requires submitting various documents, including but not limited to: an explanatory cover letter, proof of un-academic grading criteria, course documents, and graded coursework. You have up until the end of two semesters after receiving the grade to file a formal appeal. Again, the informal process is typically much more effective, so that is usually the best place to start. Back to Top Enrollment/Dismissal Cases Dismissal and Academic Probation If a student earns less than a 2.0 grade point average in any one semester, the University will notify the student of their changed status from Good Standing to Academic Probation. Terms of Academic Probation vary slightly between the Colleges. However, most commonly a student must earn higher than a 2.0 and earn zero F grades in the following semester to be removed from Academic Probation. If these terms are not met and the student earns less than a 2.0 and/or any F grades in the next semester, it is likely that they will be dismissed from the University. In order to appeal the dismissal, students must either successfully appeal individual grades that significantly affect their final standing, or negotiate their standing with the Academic Advisor or Student Affairs Officer. Dropping a class/changing a grading option after the Deadline The drop deadline for most colleges is the Friday of the second week of the semester for impacted courses, and the Friday of the fifth week for all other courses. After this deadline you can no longer add or drop classes, nor change variable units in a class. The deadline to change your grading option is the Friday of the tenth week. It is possible to petition the University to retroactively change your status in a class after either deadline. However, these petitions are usually unsuccessful in cases that do not involve serious unexpected circumstances - such as a significant health problem. In addition, the petition process varies between the Colleges. If you would like to petition the University for a retroactive drop or change to your grading option, please stop by 204 Eshleman for further assistance. Back to Top Withdrawal Cases Cancellation Before Instruction Begins To cancel registration before the start of classes, simply log on to Telebears and use the Withdrawal link. No formal petition process is necessary. Temporary Withdrawal With Advanced Notice To withdraw from the University with advanced notice, submit the Petition to Withdraw to your major advisor. You may submit a Readmission Application Form along with the petition to withdraw, to expedite the readmissions process and to make sure that you don’t miss any deadlines. Temporary Withdrawal Mid-semester If, due to extenuating circumstances, you decide to withdraw from the University mid-semester, submit a Notice of Withdrawal to your major advisor. This petition requires authorization from a variety of parties, including the Dean of the College. In the Colleges of Engineering, Environmental Design, and Letters and Sciences, readmission is limited by the semester-out rule. The semester-out rule stipulates that if you withdraw for any reason during the course of a semester, you must remain withdrawn from the University for the following full semester as well. In certain circumstances, you may appeal to have this rule waived. Back to Top Telebears Though Telebears may be considered a foolproof system to manage your class schedule, every so often a systemic glitch will lead to changes that you may not be aware of until it is too late. Check Telebears often and print a hard copy of your final schedule to prevent later problems. If you find that your schedule has been changed without your knowledge or approval, visit the Registrar'’s office immediately. Back to Top |
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