Academic Appeals

When a student seeks an exception to any academic policy that is documented in the University Bulletin or in the Student Handbook, the student should appeal accordingly:

The student should submit a written appeal to his or her academic success coach (ASC), who will then forward the appeal to the administrator responsible for the application of the particular policy.
All appeals must be written and must include the student’s desired outcome of the appeal.
A thorough explanation of the student’s rationale and supporting documentation is required in order for the appeal to be considered.

The administrator will investigate the matter and make a decision. If the administrator approves the appeal, the exception will be communicated to the appropriate parties. If the administrator disapproves the appeal, the student will be contacted about the decision. The administrator’s decision is the final step for almost all appeals.

If, however, the student can provide compelling evidence that the decision of the administrator was biased or that all documentation was not considered, the student may appeal the administrator’s decision in writing within ten (10) working days to the Provost. The Provost will investigate and determine if the appeal may be reconsidered or not. The Provost’s decision that the matter will not be reconsidered is final.

If the Provost determines that the matter may be reconsidered, the Provost shall either grant the exception or assign the appeal to the Academic Council, or designee, within ten (10) working days. The Academic Council, or designee, will review all appropriate material, consult parties involved, and approve or disapprove the appeal. This final decision of the Academic Council may not be appealed.

Grade Appeal

A grade appeal will only be considered when:

The grade is the final grade in a course;
The grade has not been appealed previously;
The instructor has disapproved the student’s petition for a grade change as described in Request for Grade Change;
Substantiating evidence* of improper application of or disregard of university policy or procedure by the instructor is evidenced in the student’s appeal;
The course is not included in an earned degree by the student when s/he has already graduated from Southern Wesleyan; and
The student complies with the grade appeal procedure.

The student may appeal in writing to the instructor’s department coordinator or school chair within ten (10) working days following the receipt of the instructor’s disapproval of the student’s petition for a grade change. The student’s appeal should include:

a completed grade appeal form;
a letter to the department coordinator or school chair describing the steps already taken to resolve the grade issue with the instructor;
copies of the communications with the instructor to resolve the grade issue; and
substantive evidence supporting the grade appeal.

If the student disagrees with the department coordinator’s written decision, the student may appeal to the instructor’s school chair within ten (10) working days of receipt of the department coordinator’s decision. The school chair will only consider appeals if the department coordinator’s decision lacks due process or shows evidence that relevant information was not taken into consideration. The student’s appeal to the school chair should include:

a letter to the school chair indicating the steps already taken to resolve the grade issue with the instructor and with the department coordinator;
a completed grade appeal form or a copy of the grade appeal form that was submitted to the department coordinator;
copies of communications with the instructor and the department coordinator to resolve the grade issue; and
substantive evidence supporting the grade appeal.*

The school chair’s decision is final, and no further appeal will be considered for this grade. The grade resulting from this decision may be the original grade, a higher grade, or a lower grade depending on the outcome of the appeal and is posted as the final grade on the student’s official academic record, including the University transcript.

*Note: A disagreement about the subjective evaluation of the student’s performance by the instructor is not grounds for an appeal. It is assumed that the instructor, as the subject matter expert, is the one most qualified to evaluate any and all work submitted. Therefore, in order for an appeal to be considered, the student must demonstrate an objective discrepancy between the way in which s/he was evaluated and the grading policies and procedures outlined in the course syllabus.

Appeals in Cases of Alleged Academic Dishonesty

If a student is charged with academic dishonesty and the matter is not resolved with the faculty member, the student may appeal to dean of SWU Global, in writing, within ten (10) working days after being informed that the grade for the course will be F. If the dean can mediate an agreement between the student and instructor, a grade-change request may be processed, if necessary.

If no agreement can be reached the student may appeal the decision in writing to the provost within ten (10) working days. The provost shall investigate and render a decision. The student is not permitted to withdraw from the course during this process.

Within ten (10) working days after being informed of the dean's decision, either the instructor or the student may appeal the dean’s decision to the provost who will determine if the case should be considered by the Academic Council. The Academic Council will review all appropriate material, consult the parties involved, and determine the final penalty. The decision of the Academic Council is final. Academic dishonesty discovered outside the context of a course or after a course is completed will be dealt with in a manner appropriate to the situation. The penalty may include such sanctions as rescinding of credit previously awarded, expulsion from the University, revocation of certificates, honors or diplomas, and in a case of fraud, appropriate legal action. Appeals in these cases will be heard by the Provost, with a final appeal to the Academic Council.