1. First, schedule a meeting with the course instructor (or relevant University official) to discuss the issue and provide supporting documentation for your perspective.
2. If the issue remains unresolved, schedule a meeting with the department chair. If the department has an established process for resolving academic matters, attempt to resolve the issue through that process.
3. If, after meeting with the course instructor and department chair (or attempting to resolve the issue through the departmental process, if any), the issue remains unresolved, contact Academic Ombud Services to schedule an appointment.
A checklist of the steps in the process is available here.
Appeal Process
Should a student decide to appeal to the University Appeals Board, the student will be asked, after meeting with the Academic Ombud, to submit a written summary of his or her perspective of the issue. The course instructor (or relevant University official) will also be asked to provide a written summary of their perspective of the issue. The Ombud will then determine whether the case has merit.
- If the Ombud determines that the case has merit, the Ombud will write a memorandum summarizing the details of the case and explaining the decision. The Chair of the University Appeals Board will schedule a hearing and invite the student and the course instructor.
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If the Ombud determines that the case does not have merit, the Ombud will write a memorandum summarizing the details of the case and explaining the decision. The student will have 30 days to appeal directly to the University Appeals Board by writing a letter to the Chair of the University Appeals Board that explains why the Ombud's decision is incorrect. If the student appeals the Ombud's "no merit" determination, the University Appeals Board will meet to review the case documents to determine whether to uphold the Ombud's determination or hear the case. If the University Appeals Board decides to hear the case, the student and the course instructor (or relevant University Official) will be invited to the hearing.
Academic Ombud Services will provide copies of all the case documents and the Ombud's memorandum to the student, University official, and the Chair of the University Appeals Board.
The Chair of the University Appeals Board will email the student and instructor (or University official) notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing.
At the scheduled time of the meeting, both the student and instructor will be given an opportunity to explain their perspectives of the case in the presence of the University Appeals Board. The University Appeals Board will then deliberate and arrive at an outcome.
Within 24 hours, the Chair of the University Appeals Board will notify the student and instructor of the decision, and written notice will be provided within one week.
Decisions made by the University Appeals Board are final.