College Catalog (2011-2012)

2011-2012 College Catalog: Appeals Information

Appeal of Policy

Students appealing the application of a TMCC policy or procedure should begin the process by completing the "Student Appeals Form" and filing it with the admissions and records office. Appeals will be accepted for review if students begin the process within six (6) months from the date of occurrence or six (6) months from when it could be reasonably assumed that the student was aware of the occurrence.

The student appeals board consists of the affirmative action officer or the designee of the president as chair, three faculty members, one counselor, two administrators, and one student. Departmental consultants attending meetings will be non-voting participants. The board meets monthly, or more frequently as needed, to hear appeals and recommend action to the vice president who has final authority.

The student appeals board reviews appeals which deal with processes outlined in the college catalog with the exception of the following: affirmative action issues, classroom or departmental procedures, disciplinary issues, financial aid appeals or grade change issues. To initiate an appeal for one of these issues, the student should contact the following:

  • Affirmative action appeal - contact the affirmative action officer and follow guidelines listed in Board of Regents Handbook
  • Classroom or departmental procedures - contact the appropriate department
  • Disciplinary issues - contact the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Students Services
  • Financial aid appeals - contact the financial aid department
  • Grade change issues - contact the instructor and follow the procedures outlined in the TMCC Catalog

Appeal of Class Grade

The purpose of the Grade Appeal Policy is to provide the student with a safeguard against receiving an unfair final grade, while respecting the academic responsibility of the instructor. Thus, this policy recognizes that:

  • Every student has a right to receive a grade assigned upon a fair and unprejudiced evaluation based on a method that is neither arbitrary nor capricious; and,
  • Instructors have the right to assign a grade based on any method that is professionally acceptable, submitted in writing to all students and applied equally.

A grade appeal shall be confined to charges of unfair action toward an individual student and may not involve a challenge of an instructor's grading standard.

In a grade appeal, the presence of one or more of the following will be considered as the only legitimate grounds for an appeal: arbitrariness, prejudice, error or personal hardship. A student who wishes to appeal the grade must do so in writing within 90 days of the official ending date of the class.

This policy does not cover instances where students have been assigned grades based on academic dishonesty or academic misconduct. Also excluded from this policy are grade appeals alleging discrimination, harassment or retaliation in violation of TMCC's Sexual Harassment Policy, which shall be referred to the appropriate office at TMCC. A student who wishes to appeal the grade must do so within 90 of the official ending date of the class.