Grade Appeal

The College recognizes the legal right of faculty to set standards of performance and to apply those standards to individual students. Therefore, the instructor is the final authority in evaluating students' performance against those standards and assigning the grade that appears in their permanent academic records. 

Student Grade Change/Appeal Intake Form

In general, all course grades are final when filed by the instructor. Students have access to view their final grades on their unofficial transcript within their InsideBC profile after the course ends. These grades become a part of the student's official record. Students have the right to inquire how a grade has been determined and may formally appeal the final grade in a course. Students have the right to have someone accompany them throughout the process.

As per California Education Code Section 76232, any student may file a written request with the chief administrative officer of a community college district to correct or remove information recorded on the student records that the student alleges to be: (1) inaccurate; (2) an unsubstantiated personal conclusion or inference; (3) a conclusion or inference outside of the observer's area of competence; or (4) not based on the personal observation of a named person with the time and place of the observation noted. The determination of the student's grade by the instructor is final in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence. When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in this community college district, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student's grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.

Per KCCD Board Policy 4231, a student must initiate a request for a grade change of receiving the final course grade. If the instructor determines that there is a valid basis for the change, the instructor must complete a Grade Change Card form and submit it to the Office of Admissions and Records. If the instructor determines there is not a valid basis for the change and denies the student's request, the student may follow the formal Grade Change Process, which may take up to months to resolve.  The formal process is as follows:

• Submit a Grade Appeal Intake form: After meeting with the faculty to resolve informally and if the faculty is not able to respond or the dispute is not resolved informally, the student may submit a Student Grade Change/Appeal Intake Form in which the Dean of Students Office will contact the student and schedule a meeting to discuss the matter.
• Meet with the Dean of Students: The student should meet with the Dean of Students to discuss the grade change procedure and attempt to resolve the grade dispute informally. Failing to meet with the Dean of Students by the deadline may result in the loss of a potential formal appeal. Students bear the burden of proof and are solely responsible for meeting stated deadlines as these will not be changed.  
• Meet with the Department Chair or Dean of Instruction: The student should meet with the department chair and the dean of instruction over the academic course in question to review the materials and understand if the original grade was awarded as a result of a mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence by the instructor. The Department Chair and Dean of Instruction will work with the faculty in question and the student to resolve the matter informally or provide a resolution.
• Request for Grievance Hearing form: If after meeting with the department chair and dean of instruction, the student still believes that the original grade was awarded as a result of a mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence by the instructor, the student may meet with the Dean of Students again to request a student-initiated grade change for a formal grievance hearing.
• Grade Appeal Grievance Hearing Committee: Within receipt of the formal request for a hearing, a Grievance Hearing Committee will be appointed and shall meet privately and without the parties present to determine whether sufficient grounds for a grievance hearing on the basis of the information presented. If the grievance does not have sufficient grounds, the student will be notified of the reasons. If sufficient grounds are met, the grievance hearing shall be scheduled.
• College Vice President’s Decision: Within seven (7) days following receipt of the Hearing Committee's findings and recommendation(s), the appropriate Vice President shall inform all parties of their written decision, together with the Hearing Committee's findings and recommendations. The Vice President may accept or reject the findings, and recommendations of the Hearing Committee. If the Vice President does not accept the decision or a finding or recommendation of the Hearing Committee, the Vice President shall review the record of the hearing and shall prepare a new written decision containing specific factual findings and conclusions.
• Appeal: Any appeal relating to the findings of a Grievance Hearing Committee shall be made in writing to the College President within seven (7) days of the Committee’s report. The College President shall review and determine the matter in accordance with the requirements for a grievance provided in these procedures but shall not consider any other matters. The decision of the College President shall be final.

Refer to KCCD Board Policy 4231 for further steps or appeals.