Petitions

Petitions for exceptions to policies of the university may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for presentation to the faculty. By definition, the petition must argue why a rule which otherwise applies to everyone should be set aside in the case at hand.

Academic Grievances

Academic grievances concerning teaching and learning should be settled as close to the level of student-faculty contact as possible. If students believe they have been treated arbitrarily or capriciously by an instructor in a grade assigned or other ways, they should first talk to the instructor. If the matter remains unresolved, then they should communicate with the chair of the instructor’s department or, in the case of a nursing course, the appropriate coordinator. For nursing course grievances, unresolved grievances are next appealed to the Associate Dean. Department chairs or the appropriate coordinator will alert the Online and Continuing Education (OCE) administrator when grievances are raised within OCE courses. If the matter is still unresolved, then the student should communicate to the dean of the school/college in which the course is taught (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, or School of Nursing).  Finally, if the matter has not been resolved by the above means, then students may appeal the matter with the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee. All grievances concerning grades must be filed by the end of the next semester after the grade is posted. In the case that a student is studying abroad the next semester, the grievance must be filed by the end of the next semester after the student returns.