Title

Academic and Student Services Appeals Policy

Steward

Steward:

Vice President of Student Affairs

Category:

Student policies

Effective date:

May 1, 2005

Last content update:

December 13, 2021

Purpose

To provide students with an avenue to appeal an academic and student services policy or procedure.

Definitions

Academic Year

The period of time that makes up one school year, beginning in August and ending in May. Summer session typically runs from May through July and is considered to be a part of the previous academic year.

Documentation

Official documentation that supports the appeal including, but not limited to:

Letters from medical treatment providers/facilities
Death certificates/announcements/obituaries

Extenuating Circumstances

Events that are sudden, significantly disruptive and beyond a student’s control. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to:

Bereavement for a child, sibling, spouse or partner
Shorter-term medical conditions
Serious personal injury, medical condition or mental health crises

Retaliation

Actions of any kind taken against a student for participating or not participating in the appeal process.

Policy

Academic Appeals

Academic appeals can be filed to challenge grades, retroactively withdraw from a course (after the withdrawal deadline has passed) and other similar situations.

Appeals to retroactively withdraw will not be accepted if 180 or more days have passed since the academic term in which the course(s) in question was completed. Students can inquire with the Registrar’s Office to determine if an appeal is appropriate in their situation prior to submitting the appeal.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeals can be filed in the event a student believes a final course grade was calculated in error or in a manner inconsistent with the stated course grading policy, or faculty conduct regarding grade determination was inconsistent with contractual responsibilities, or M State policies and/or Minnesota State system Board policies. This policy provides the student the right to a final course grade review by the College, excluding the letter grades of W, FW and FN.

The grade appeal process is not intended to grade or re-grade individual assignments or projects, but to determine if the final grade was assigned in an accurate and consistent manner.

Faculty have the right to establish individual standards and approaches to grading consistent with the principles of academic freedom, therefore the grade appeal process may not challenge the faculty member’s grading standard as stated in the course syllabus. Individual faculty members are responsible for assigning grades. The College is responsible for recording and maintaining an official record of assigned grades.

Circumstances that warrant correction of an official record for an assigned grade include:

Consultation revealed a calculation error occurred that is different than what was stated in the course syllabus.
Consultation revealed a grade was inconsistent with the written grading standards for the course as stated in the course syllabus.
The instructor applied grading criteria in an arbitrary, capricious, improper or discriminatory manner inconsistent with contractual responsibilities, M State policies and/or Minnesota State system Board policies.

The student has the full responsibility to substantiate the claim that their final grade reflects an error in calculation or the criteria for evaluating academic performance as stated in the syllabus is not followed. No retaliation of any kind shall be taken against a student for participation in a complaint or appeal.

Student Services Appeals

A Student Services Appeal can be filed when a student feels there are extenuating circumstances which warrant departure from or access to the College policies or procedures listed below:

Drop/Add/Withdrawal Policy
Medical Withdrawal Procedure
Pregnancy, Childbirth or Breastfeeding Procedure
Refunds for Dropped Courses and Withdrawals Policy
Residential Life Policies (Fergus Falls campus only)

Documentation that supports an appeal is required for review. Appeals without documentation will not receive full consideration.

Academic and Student Service Appeal Deadlines

Appeals must be submitted within 180 days of the end of the semester for which the request is being made. For example:

Appeals related to fall semester must be submitted by the following June 30
Appeals related to spring semester must be submitted by the following November 30
Appeals related to summer semester must be submitted by the following January 31

A successful appeal does not guarantee reduction in tuition and associated fees. In the instances in which students receive refunds, such refunds will first be applied to any outstanding obligations and to any scholarship, grant or loan the student has received for that term. A student who is receiving any form of Federal Title IV Financial Aid will be liable for any unearned funds received as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.

Responsibility

College Designee

Will review appeals and communicate a decision in a timely manner. Notification about the decision can be sent via email and/or USPS to the address(es) included on the appeal form.