Cascadia believes in the right of all students to receive a fair and equitable review process when a complaint arises. If you believe you received an improper final grade, you have until the end of the next quarter (not including summer quarter) to file an appeal. For example, if the grade was given in spring quarter, your deadline to appeal the grade would be the final day of fall quarter. You must keep all papers, tests, and projects from the class for use during the appeal process.

You cannot appeal a grade if it is given as a result of disciplinary action. You cannot appeal a grade on an individual assignment.  

Informal Process

You should initiate the process by speaking to the instructor of the class in which you feel you received an improper grade. This process should facilitate good faith efforts by both parties to resolve the matter.

In the event that the instructor is no longer employed by the college, or is away from campus for an extended period of time, the dean for student learning will appoint two faculty members to review your work and the grade under appeal. The grade will only be changed upon the recommendation of both faculty members. If there is no agreement, the grade will remain unchanged.

Formal Process

If an informal resolution with the instructor is not reached, you can initiate a formal grade appeal by writing to the appropriate dean for student learning (email is acceptable). The dean has 10 days to discuss the situation with you and the instructor after receiving the written appeal. You must make yourself reasonably available to meet with the dean. Following the discussions, the dean has another 10 days to make a written recommendation to you, which may include:  

• Denying the request for a grade change
• Moving the grade appeal forward and convening the Hearing Committee

Appealing the Formal Decision

If you wish to appeal the dean for student learning's decision to deny the grade change, you must submit a written appeal, including your reasons for the appeal, to the vice president for student learning within 5 days. The vice president for student learning will review the documents and meet with you within 10 days of receiving the appeal. The vice president for student learning will make a written recommendation within 10 days of meeting with you, which may include:

• Upholding the decision of the dean for student learning and denying the request for a grade change. This decision is final.
• Moving the grade appeal forward. The dean for student learning will convene the Hearing Committee and the vice president for student learning will review the committee’s procedures with you.  

Grade Appeal Hearing Committee Selection

The Grade Appeal Hearing Committee is drawn from a pool of 12 volunteer faculty members, approved by the vice president for student learning, who serve on call for a one-year term.

Six members will be chosen at random by the dean for student learning with you and the instructor present. You will be given the opportunity to remove 2 of the 6 names, and the remaining 4 faculty members will make up the committee. Faculty may abstain from any committee if they stipulate that serving will pose a conflict of interest. In that case the vice president for student learning will randomly select another member from the pool.

The dean for student learning or their designee will serve as facilitator and ex-officio member of the committee.

Grade Appeal Hearing Committee Process

The dean for student learning will contact the Grade Appeal Hearing Committee within 10 days of the committee selection.

The committee will set a date for the hearing, review all documentation, and may interview all parties, including other students who may serve as student and/or faculty advocates.

You and the instructor will each have a maximum of 30 minutes to present your case. The committee may vote to extend the time limit but must provide the same number of additional minutes to both parties.

The committee will render its decision within 10 business days of the hearing. The decision of the committee is final and there can be no further appeals. The vice president for student learning will review the committee record and render a final decision if the vote is tied.

You, the instructor, and the vice president for student learning will receive copies of the decision and a copy will be placed in your file.