Petitions, Appeals, and Grievances
During a student’s academic career, there may be occasion to file a petition, an appeal or a grievance.
- A petition is a request for an exception to an academic policy. A petition must be submitted in writing to the appropriate academic leader.
- A student may appeal an academic policy decision or for a grade change.
- An academic grievance involves those situations in which a student believes that the university has not followed published policies regarding an academic policy decision or a request for a grade change or the student believes the policies and/or actions of School of Integrated Health personnel are unjust.
Students taking courses outside of the School of Integrated Health are expected to follow the guidelines established by the Principal Academic Unit (College of Arts and Sciences, College of Adult and Professional Studies, Wesley Seminary) from which the course is taken for matters pertaining to courses/classes/policies.
Indiana Wesleyan University follows generally accepted college and university practice in the development of academic policies, the operation of classrooms, and use of grading techniques. The university allows its instructors independence in following generally accepted practices. A student who wishes to submit an appeal or grievance must abide by the procedures listed below.
Each stated time frame will be the ordinary process. More time may be necessary in the event of a lengthy investigation, hearing, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances. Depending on the situation, the timeline may be expedited. Because the appeal and grievance process is a private university administrative process, if legal council is retained, IWU must be notified immediately and the process will be turned over to the Office of Risk Management and Compliance.
Issues related to discrimination based on race, national origin, color, sex, disability, or age, including Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 are handled according to university policy.
Grade Appeal
A grade appeal involves only those situations in which a student believes an instructor (a) has not followed fair grading practice or (b) has not followed his or her published grading policy in didactic or clinical courses.
Informal Process
Level 1
- The student should request the rationale from the professor for the grade given and discuss the key learning points within 10 university business days of the posting of the grade.
- The informal process may be ended at any time and the student may begin the formal procedure by submitting a written grade appeal form within 20 university business days of the posting of the grade. Grade appeal forms are available from the Office of the Dean.
Formal Process
Level 2
- If there is no resolution during the informal process, the student may file a grade appeal request form, which can be obtained from the Office of the Dean. If a properly completed grade appeal request form is not received by the university within 20 university business days of the date the student's grade was posted, then the student will forfeit any further right to appeal.
- If the matter involves the Dean as faculty, the student may request that the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) for the School of Integrated Health (or designee) review the matter.
- After the university receives the grade appeal request form, it will be forwarded to the instructor along with a faculty grade appeal response form. The Dean will notify the faculty member of the appeal and its nature and seek to mediate the dispute through the following steps.
- Discussion of the facts of the case seeking resolution within 10 university business days.
- If the faculty member's stated policy for calculating the grade has not been followed, the Dean or Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) will insist that it be followed. The role of the administrator is not to re-grade the assignment(s).
- If the instructor agrees, the grade will be changed, and the student academic record will be updated.
Level 3
- If the instructor does not agree that the grade should be changed, the Dean will request a second grading of the specific assignment or examination by two faculty members with knowledge in the academic discipline. They will submit their completed rubrics or evaluations to the Dean within 10 university business days.
- The grade appeal form, faculty response form, and the evaluation of the specific assignment or examination will be submitted to the School of Integrated Health Student Life Council.
- Upon receipt of the request for council review from the student, the matter will be brought to the next regularly scheduled School of Integrated Health Student Life Council meeting. (NOTE: The Council reserves the right to seek clarification from the student, additional graders, or the instructor). If the matter involves a member of the council, the Student Life Council Chair will require the individual to recuse himself/herself from the appeal process.
- A formal notification of the decision will be provided to the student by the council chair. This will complete the appeals process. The decision made at the Student Life Council is final for the appeal process.
- All documents related to the appeal will be filed electronically. Printed documents will be shredded.
- The student will be notified of results at each step of the grade appeal process.
Appeal of Academic Policy Decision
An academic policy appeal involves only those situations in which a student is seeking recourse from a university academic policy decision.
Examples of academic policies include but are not limited to admission criteria, readmission criteria, etc.
Informal Process
Level 1
- The student must first contact the person or the department responsible for the policy decision to resolve the question informally. Such contact must occur within 10 university business days of the incident that generates the request for exception.
- The informal process may be ended at any time and the student may begin the formal procedure by submitting an appeal form within 20 university business days of the decision. Appeal forms are available from the Office of the Dean.
Formal Process
Level 2
- If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at level one, the student may submit a written request within 20 university business days of the date of the decision that prompted the appeal to the Dean for a review. The student should include thorough documentation supporting the student's claims.
- If the matter involves the Dean as faculty, the student may request that the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) for the School of Integrated Health (or designee) review the matter.
- If the published policy was not followed, the Dean or VPAA will insist that it be followed.
Level 3
- If there is no resolution at level two, the Dean will forward the documentation for a review by the Student Life Council.
- Upon receipt of the request for council review from the student, the matter will be brought to the next regularly scheduled School of Integrated Health Student Life Council meeting. (NOTE: The Council reserves the right to seek clarification from the student and those involved in the policy decision.) If the matter involves a member of the Council, the Student Life Council Chair will require the individual to recuse himself/herself from the appeal process.
- A formal notification of the decision will be provided to the student by the Dean. This will complete the appeals process. The decision made at the Student Life Council is final for the appeal process.
- All documents related to the appeal will be filed electronically. Printed documents will be shredded.
Academic Grievance
An academic grievance involves those situations in which a student believes that the university has not followed published policies regarding an academic decision or a request for a grade change or the student believes the policies and/or actions of School of Integrated Health personnel are unjust.
Informal Process
Level 1
- If the student believes the published policies were not followed or he/she believes the policies and/or actions of School of Integrated Health personnel were not just, the student must first contact the Dean within 10 university business days for a full explanation of the policy and how the policy was followed. This is not a second hearing of an appeal.
- Due to the implications of a grievance, the student must submit a written grievance form at this step of the process. The grievance form may be obtained from the Office of the Dean. If a properly completed form is not received by the university within 10 university business days of the date on which the event that gave rise to the complaint occurred, the student will forfeit any further right to grieve.
- If the complaint involves the Dean, the student may request that the Associate Dean for Accreditations, Assessment, & Curriculum for the School of Integrated Health (or designee) review the matter.
- The informal process may be ended at any time and the student may begin the formal procedure.
Formal Process
Level 2
- If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at level one, the student may request a review of the matter by the VPAA by forwarding the grievance form. If the university does not receive a request for a level two review within 10 university business days of the level one decision, the student will forfeit any further right to grieve.
- A formal notification of the decision will be provided to the student by the VPAA. This will complete the grievance process.
- All documents related to the grievance will be filed electronically. Printed documents will be shredded.
