Academic Appeals

Final Course Grade Appeal

A student may appeal a grade in a course once a final grade has been posted.

Appeals must be initiated within 30 business days of the awarding of the final grade for all academic appeals, except in the case of extenuating circumstances that could not have been known within the designated petition period or as deemed appropriate by the Division Dean(s) of the course(s) in question or the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs (VCASA). 

Please note that the grounds for an appeal of a final course grade are as follows. The student feels that:

• The grade is based on an error in calculation
• The grade assigned did not follow the grading criteria stated on the course syllabus
• The grade for a writing intensive/laboratory course is based on inadequate criteria

Grades may not be appealed on the grounds that the student feels:

• The course was poorly designed or facilitated
• The course was too difficult
• The course required too much work
• Or the student did not like the faculty member

Steps in the final grade appeal process
Step One: The student communicates with the faculty member who issued the grade within 30 business days of the final posting of the grade. The faculty member reviews the grading policy with the student and makes sure the grade was correctly calculated, responding in writing to the student. If no satisfactory resolution is reached, the student may proceed to a further appeal found in step two.

Step Two: The student submits the grade appeal form, explaining why the grade is being challenged and attaching supporting documentation, within 10 business days of the faculty member's decision. Incomplete appeals or appeals submitted without documentation will be denied. 

Step Three: The department chair over the course in which the grade is being challenged reviews the student's grade appeal form, discusses the grade with the faculty member, and, if deemed necessary by the department chair, the student. The department chair issues a decision in writing to the student.

Step Four: A student who wishes to appeal the department chair's decision may do so in writing to the appropriate division dean within 10 business days of the department chair's decision.

Step Five: The dean investigates the student's claim and renders a decision in writing to the student.

Step Six: A student who wishes to appeal the dean's decision may do so by submitting a written request to the Appeals Officer through the Office of the Vice Chancellor Academic and Student Affairs (VCASA) within 10 business days of the dean's decision. The appeal will be heard through an Academic Appeals Committee. No final grade appeals will be considered by the Appeals Committee until all previous steps have been conducted. The student will be invited, but is not required, to attend the Academic Appeals Committee hearing in person or via teleconference.

Step Seven: A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee may do so, in writing, to the Appeals Officer through the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs (VCASA) within 10 business days of the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee. No appeals will be considered by the VCASA until all previous steps have been conducted. The VCASA will review the appeal and render a decision, which is final.

Retroactive Withdrawal

Appropriate conditions for appeals are typically acts beyond the reasonable control of the student.

Examples of appropriate conditions for appeals:

• Death of an immediate family member (spouse/domestic partner, child, sibling, parent, grandparent)
• Onset of a mental health or medical condition, including pregnancy with physician-documented complications, that prohibited continued attendance
• Accident or injury that prohibited continued attendance
• Call to active military duty or training or voluntary armed services enlistment
• Relocation or required to leave the country to take care of the health of an immediate family member (spouse/domestic partner, child, sibling, parent, grandparent)

Examples of unacceptable conditions for appeals:

• Bad habits or poor judgment
• Time management issues
• Failed relationships/roommate problems
• Failure to use college resources
• Lack of knowledge of deadlines or other college policies
• Didn't like the courses for which the student registered
• Known medical condition, injury or illness that has not changed materially since the time of enrollment in the course
• Insufficient resources to pay tuition
• The student changed his or her mind about attending BRCC
• Unsubstantiated claims of LoLA (student management system) error when attempting to withdraw

Steps in the appeals process for retroactive withdrawals
Step One: The student completes the online appeal form for retroactive withdrawals . Incomplete appeals or appeals submitted without supporting documentation will be denied. 

Step Two: The appeal will be heard through an Academic Appeals Committee. The student will be invited, but is not required, to attend the Academic Appeals Committee hearing in person or via teleconference.

Step Three: A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee may do so, in writing, to the Appeals Officer through the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs (VCASA) within 10 business days of the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee. No appeals will be considered by the VCASA until all previous steps have been conducted. The VCASA will review the appeal and render a decision, which is final.