MEDICAL DOSIMETRY STUDENT HANDBOOK
C-4: STUDENT APPEAL PROCESSES Grade Appeal Process The process for appealing a grade in the Medical Dosimetry program is consistent with the Bylaws and process maintained by the Health Professions Department. 1. If a student questions or disputes a final grade he/she must begin with an informal discussion with the course instructor. This initial discussion must take place within 4 weeks of the posting of the grade. If the student does not accept the decision, he/she may begin a formal grade appeal process with the following steps and time frames. 2. The request to appeal the grade must be put in writing and addressed to the individual course instructor within 6 weeks of posting of the grade. a. The appeal must contain the reason for the grade appeal and supporting materials. b. Acceptable reasons for appeal are limited to the following: • The instructor used different grading standards for this student’s work than for other students in the class. • Grading of the student was biased, arbitrary, or capricious. c. The instructor will contact the student within 5 working days of receipt of the appeal and schedule a formal meeting with the student. This meeting will be attended by the course instructor, another faculty member or Program Director, the student, and anyone else the student wishes to bring (if desired). If the course instructor is the Program Director, another faculty member or department chair will be asked to attend the meeting. The meeting will be recorded by notes and audiotape. d. The possible outcomes of this appeal hearing are: • Instructor accepts student’s appeal and changes the grade • Student acknowledges instructor’s rationale for grade and accepts the grade • Instructor does not change the grade; student does not accept the decision and decides to appeal to the next level.
e. The outcomes of the appeal will be documented by the course instructor within 5 working days after the hearing with a copy sent to the student and placed in his/her file. 3. The next level of appeal is to the Program Director unless he or she has been involved in the initial appeal hearing with the individual faculty member or is the instructor. a. The request to appeal the grade will be put in writing and addressed to the Program Director within 5 working days of the receipt of the instructor’s decision. The appeal will contain the reason for the grade appeal and supporting materials. Acceptable reasons for appeal are the same as listed in 2.b. above. b. The Program Director will contact the student within 5 working days of receipt of the appeal and schedule a formal meeting with the student. c. This meeting will be attended by the Program Director, the student, and anyone else the student wishes to bring (if desired). The meeting will be recorded by notes and audiotape. d. The Program Director may seek additional information from the course instructor and /or student before rendering a judgment. e. The possible outcomes of this appeal hearing are: • Support for the instructor and a recommendation that the grade should stand as given. • Recommendation to instructor to change the grade • Student accepts the grade and ends the appeal process. • Student does not accept the grading decision and decides to appeal to the next level. f. The outcomes of the appeal will be documented by the Program Director within 5 working days with a copy sent to the student and placed in his/her file. 4. The next level of appeal is to the department chair. a. The request to appeal the grade will be put in writing and addressed to the Health Professions Chair within 5 working days of the receipt of the decision of the Program Director. The appeal will contain the reason for the grade appeal and supporting materials. Acceptable reasons for appeal are limited to the above with the addition that:
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