Student Appeals Policies and Procedures

There may at times be problems affecting students’ academic success, progress toward the degree, or relationships within the program. As such situations arise, students are advised to attempt to address the issues with the individual faculty, the Executive Officer, and/or the Executive Committee. If these avenues do not appear to offer satisfactory solutions, the Vice President for Student Affairs may be consulted (Mr. Matthew G. Schoengood, Telephone: 1-212-817-7400). The Graduate Center’s Ombuds Officer is also available to consult confidentially (Dr. Rolf Meyersohn, Telephone: 1-212-817-7190); see above.

The appeals policies and procedures described below distinguish between disputes concerning grades and disputes concerning termination of matriculation. Appeals of administrative decisions that affect academic progress fall under the appeal procedures for disputes concerning termination. (Note: Prior to going forward with the appeal, students may want to consult with the Ombuds Officer about resolving the issue informally.)

While an appeal is in process, the student appealing may register and, if registered, is classified as making satisfactory progress (for that semester) and, if otherwise entitled, is eligible to receive federal student loans. Consideration will be given to allowing a student to withdraw from the program effective the semester in which his or her appeal is turned down and providing the student with a refund for that semester’s tuition. This consideration, however, is not an option if the student has taken a federal loan for that semester unless the loan is repaid prior to the withdrawal.

Administrative Disputes Concerning Grades

Policy

The mode of determining grades in a course for a student who for nonacademic reasons does not complete the work in the course shall be uniform in a given program. When appropriate, it shall be reviewed by joint administration-student-faculty consultation and shall not compromise the educational quality of the degree.

Procedure

A student believing himself or herself aggrieved by a grade given for nonacademic reasons should first informally discuss the matter with the instructor.

If the matter is not informally resolved, the student shall, within 30 days of receiving written notification of the failure to reach a resolution, request in writing that a determination be made by the Executive Committee of the program. The student may submit any evidence or argument in writing to the committee and may, if he or she chooses, be heard in person. The committee shall consider the matter de novo and make such investigation as it deems necessary. It shall advise the student within a reasonable time of its determination.

A student may appeal the Executive Committee’s determination to the Provost’s Office within 30 days of receiving written notification of the determination. The Provost’s Office shall review the record and make a determination thereon, which shall be final.

Academic Disputes Concerning Grades

Policy

The doctoral faculty as a whole and, more specifically, the faculty of a doctoral program are responsible for determining the requirements and standards of performance for courses and for qualifying examinations. A course instructor retains considerable discretion in these matters. The instructor is under obligation, however, to ensure that the course syllabus is consonant with the goals of the curriculum of the degree program. The expected level of performance in a given course shall reflect levels of difficulty relevant to the educational objective of the program. In addition, the instructor has an obligation to students to make clear the basis of evaluation (e.g., reading assignments, papers, contributions to seminar discussions, experimental work) at the start of each course so that students are not surprised by unexpected or untimely demands. Grades on examinations or for work in a course are the responsibility of the instructor.

Procedures

In the case of disputes with respect to grades for work in a course, final course grades, grades on first and second qualifying examinations, or the dissertation defense, the student should discuss the matter with the instructor; or, in the case of a qualifying examination, with one or more examination readers identified by the Executive Officer; or, in the case of the dissertation defense, with the adviser. The student may be accompanied by a student or other member of the Graduate Center community in discussion with the instructor or readers or adviser. Under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students have the right to review their examinations. If the matter is not resolved, the student may, within 30 days of receiving written notification of the failure to reach resolution, register a formal complaint with the Executive Officer of the program, who shall consult with the instructor or readers and/or the student’s adviser and attempt to resolve the matter.

If the matter is not informally resolved by the Executive Officer, the student may, within 30 days of receiving written notification of the failure to reach resolution, appeal the grade in writing to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will either hear the appeal itself or appoint a special grade appeal committee (consisting of no fewer than three faculty members) which will hear the appeal and report to the Executive Officer who will transmit the decision of the Executive Committee or the special grade appeals committee to the student in writing. The student may submit written evidence and statements to the committee and, upon request, shall be heard by the committee.

The student may appeal the program’s decision to the Provost’s Office within 30 days of receiving notification of the decision by the filing of a written complaint stating the basis for the student’s belief that the action taken was without reasonable or adequate basis.

The Provost’s Office shall refer the appeal to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee shall consider whether the student was fairly treated in accordance with the policies and procedures of the doctoral program and the Graduate Center. The committee shall accept evidence and argument orally and/or in writing from the student and the instructor or faculty, Executive Officer, and/or adviser and may make such further investigation as it deems appropriate. The committee shall make a recommendation to the Provost’s Office, where the determination shall be final.

Disputes Concerning Academic Termination

A student may be terminated from a doctoral program and from the Graduate Center by a formal action of the Executive Committee of the program or by established formal policy of the program.

The student may appeal the termination decision to the Executive Committee within 90 days of receipt of the letter of termination from the program. (In exceptional circumstances, the student may request an extension to the appeal deadline from the Executive Officer or from the Associate Provost and Dean for Academic Affairs.) The student may submit written evidence and statements to the committee and, upon request, shall be heard by the committee. The student shall be given the opportunity to withdraw from the program before any official action is taken.

The student may appeal the determination of the Executive Committee within 30 days of receipt of written notice of the determination by notifying the Provost’s Office in writing of such appeal. Upon meeting with the Associate Provost to review the appeals procedure, the student may submit the appeal for referral to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. The committee shall review the record before the Executive Committee and shall accept evidence and argument orally or in writing from both the student and the Executive Committee and may make such further investigation as it deems appropriate. The committee shall make a recommendation to the Provost’s Office, where the determination shall be final.