I. Purpose
A. The purpose of the Grade Appeals Procedure is to implement the Grade Appeals Policy (“Policy”) of Anne Arundel Community College (“College”) by providing an orderly process for resolving Grade Appeals.
B. This Procedure sets forth the process for the filing, consideration, and disposition of Grade Appeals, including an opportunity for informal resolution and appeals.
II. Scope and Applicability
A. This Procedure applies to all Students and all faculty, including part-time faculty, full-time faculty, and instructors who teach any class at the College, including credit, developmental, and noncredit classes.
B. This Procedure applies to requests for review of final grades in a class and does not apply to individual academic assessments or assignments, which cannot be appealed, but which may be informally resolved as provided in Section V.B. of the Policy.
C. To the extent that the College Manual conflicts with this Procedure, this Procedure supersedes the College Manual.
III. Definitions
A. All capitalized terms in this Procedure have the meanings provided in the Policy.
B. All other capitalized terms in this Procedure have the following meanings:
1. Appeal File means the Grade Appeal Form, the Instructor’s response, if any, the Supervisor’s summary, any documentation, or evidence collected by the Academic Dean, and the Academic Dean’s decision.
2. AVPL means the Associate Vice President of Learning.
3. Business Day is any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday or day that the College is closed, such as holidays, spring break, winter break, or other day that the College announces that it is closed.
4. PVPL means the Provost and Vice President of Learning or designee.
IV. Steps for Resolving a Grade Appeal
A. Any Student who believes the Grade is incorrect due to Mistake or Arbitrary and Capricious Grading, as set forth in the Policy, must pursue a Grade Appeal as follows:
1. Step 1 – Informal Discussion with the Instructor
a. Prior to filing a Formal Grade Appeal, a Student is required to attempt to informally discuss the Grade Appeal with the Instructor within five (5) Business Days of the official posting of the Grade or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible and make a good faith effort to resolve the Grade Appeal promptly and fairly.
b. When attempting to informally resolve the Grade Appeal, the Student must describe, in writing via email, or through other electronic means, [e.g., Canvas inbox] to the Instructor the reasons for seeking a change to the Student’s Grade.
c. The Instructor and Student should discuss the matter, in person, by telephone, or via email.
d. If the Instructor agrees that the Grade should be changed, the Instructor must submit a Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office and provide written notice to the Student of the new Grade that will be assigned.
e. If the Instructor does not agree that the Grade should be changed, the Instructor must inform the Student in writing, within five (5) Business Days of the Student notifying the Instructor of a concern regarding the Grade, that the Grade will not be changed. This notification must include information about the right of the Student to discuss the matter with the Instructor’s Supervisor, and the name of the Supervisor.
f. If the Instructor does not participate in the Informal Resolution Process, the Student should contact the AVPL in order to proceed to the next step.
2. Step 2 – Discussion with the Instructor’s Supervisor
a. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached after an attempt at direct discussion with the Instructor, or if the Instructor does not participate in the Informal Resolution Process, the Student must send an email to the Instructor’s Supervisor and the Instructor, within five (5) Business Days of the Instructor sending notice to the Student that the Grade will not be changed, stating the following:
i. The Student’s name and contact information;
ii. The name of the Instructor(s);
iii. The course name and number;
iv. The term in which the class was taken;
v. A description of the grounds for the Grade Appeal and reasons a change to the Grade should be made;
vi. The Grade the Student believes the Student should receive; and
vii. Any supporting documentation or evidence.
b. The Supervisor will gather information from the Student and the Instructor regarding the Grade Appeal, including discussions with each Party, interviews of any individuals with relevant information, and review of any information contained in College’s learning management system for the class at issue in the Grade Appeal that may be relevant to understanding the Grade Appeal.
c. The Supervisor will attempt to reach a resolution between the Parties within five (5) Business Days of the date the Student initially emailed the Supervisor or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible.
d. The Supervisor will summarize in writing the information gathered, document whether a resolution was reached, and email the summary to the Student and the Instructor.
e. If a resolution was reached between the Instructor and Student that results in a change to the Student’s Grade, the Instructor will submit a Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office and provide written notice to the Student and Instructor of the new Grade that will be assigned.
f. If the Instructor does not agree that the Grade should be changed, the Supervisor will provide written notice to the Student and Instructor that a resolution was not reached and the Grade will not be changed The Supervisor will inform the Student of the right to file a Formal Grade Appeal, and the Academic Dean to whom it should be directed.
3. Step 3 – Formal Grade Appeal
a. If the Grade Appeal is not resolved informally, the Student may submit a Formal Grade Appeal Form by emailing a Grade Appeal Form and the Supervisor’s summary, to the Academic Dean within five (5) Business Days of when the Supervisor sent the summary to the Student and Instructor.
b. If a Student asserts that a Grade was assigned on the ground of discrimination or bias, the Student may file a complaint under the College’s Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy and Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures and the request will not be considered under this Procedure.
c. Dismissal of Grade Appeal
i. If a Grade Appeal Form is not timely submitted, the Grade Appeal is considered waived, unless the Student can show extenuating circumstances as described in this Procedure below, “Extensions of Time,” that justify considering the request beyond the deadline, such as a medical emergency.
ii. Upon receipt, the Academic Dean will review the Grade Appeal Form to determine:
1) If it was filed timely;
2) If one of the grounds for appeal described in the Grade Appeal Policy has been stated;
3) If the Student attempted to informally resolve the Grade Appeal with the Instructor and Supervisor;
4) If the Student has filed a complaint or grievance about the subject matter of the Grade Appeal under another College policy or procedure that is currently pending; or
5) If the subject matter was previously decided pursuant to this Procedure or any other College policy or procedure.
6) The Academic Dean should consult with the CCFPO to determine if complaints relating to the subject matter of the Grade Appeal are pending.
iii. The Academic Dean will then make a decision as to whether the Formal Grade Appeal can proceed or will be dismissed.
1) If the Formal Grade Appeal is not dismissed, the Academic Dean will forward the Grade Appeal Form to the Instructor.
2) If at least one (1) of the grounds asserted is that the Grade was assigned on the basis of discrimination or bias, the Academic Dean will forward the Grade Appeal Form to the Chief Compliance and Fair Practices Office pursuant to the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy and the Discrimination and Sexual Harassment and Complaint Procedure with written notice to the Student and the Instructor and the entire Grade Appeal will be investigated and decided pursuant to that Policy and Procedure.
3) If the Formal Grade Appeal is dismissed, the Academic Dean will notify the Student in writing, stating the reason(s) for the dismissal.
iv. The Academic Dean’s decision regarding dismissal or referral to the Chief Compliance and Fair Practices Officer is final and is neither grievable nor appealable.
d. Review of the Formal Grade Appeal
i. Within five (5) Business Days of the date the Academic Dean sends the Grade Appeal Form to the Instructor, the Instructor may provide a written response, including any documentation or evidence supporting the Instructor’s position regarding the Grade Appeal.
ii. The Academic Dean may gather information from the Student and the Instructor regarding the Grade Appeal, including, at the Academic Dean’s discretion, discussions with each Party, interviews of any individuals with relevant information, and review of any information contained in College’s learning management system for the class at issue in the Grade Appeal that may be relevant to understanding the Grade Appeal.
iii. Within ten (10) Business Days of the Instructor’s response or expiration of the deadline for the Instructor to respond, the Academic Dean will send a written decision to the Parties via email as to whether the Student has demonstrated the existence of one (1) or more grounds for the Appeal, stating the reasons for the decision and if it results in a change to the Grade, the new Grade to be assigned.
iv. If the Academic Dean determined that the Grade should be changed, the Academic Dean will instruct the Instructor to submit a Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office within two (2) Business Days of the notice to the Instructor.
v. The Academic Dean’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
V. Conflicts of Interest
A. If the Instructor is the Assistant Dean or Director, at Step 2 the Student must send an email with the information listed above to the Academic Dean, who will serve as the Supervisor to informally resolve the matter, and if the Student files a Formal Grade Appeal it must be submitted to the AVPL.
B. If the Instructor is the Academic Dean, at Step 2 the Student must send an email with the information listed above to the AVPL who will serve as the Supervisor to informally resolve the matter, and if the Student files a Formal Grade Appeal it must be submitted to the PVPL.
C. If the Instructor is the PVPL, at Step 2 the Student must send an email with the information listed above to the President who will appoint another administrator who is not in the PVPL supervisory chain to serve as the Supervisor to informally resolve the matter, and if the Student files a Formal Grade Appeal it must be submitted to the President.
VI. Extensions of Time
A. If the College is not in session during part of these proceedings, or in instances where additional time may be required because of the complexity of the case, unavailability of the Parties or witnesses, or other extenuating circumstances, any of the time periods specified herein may be extended at the discretion of the AVPL, or designee.
B. An Instructor who is “off contract” during any phase of the grade appeal process is encouraged to participate in the process, as able, but is not required to do so.
C. If a period is extended, the AVPL will inform the Student and Instructor or other decision-maker in writing and provide the date of the extension.
VII. Complaints to External Entities
A. A Student should first exhaust the Grade Appeals Procedure, as applicable, before filing a complaint with an external entity.
B. Complaints to external entities may be filed in accordance with the Student Complaints to External Entities Procedure.
Procedure Title: Grade Appeals Procedure
Policy Category: Academic Affairs
Policy Owner: Provost/Vice President for Learning
Policy Administrator: Associate Vice President for Learning
Contact Information: ksmith56@aacc.edu, 410-777-2776
Approval Date: July 29, 2024
Effective Date: October 11, 2024
History: N/A
Applies to: All Students and Faculty
Related Policies:
Related Procedures:
Forms/Guidelines:
Relevant Laws: