ABAC 2.7.2.1 Academic Review Committee (Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs)

The Academic Review Committee (ARC) hears and acts on appeals from students who are appealing a course grade. It will consist of six members as follows: The Registrar, who will serve as chair, the Faculty liaison from Bainbridge, and four faculty members chosen from the four schools. One of the faculty members will be a school dean. The four faculty members will be appointed for two-year terms on alternating years. The Director of Academic Support will serve as a non-voting member. The committee will meet each semester and as needed.

The ARC hears grade appeals when the appeal is not resolved at the school level.  In the case of grade appeals, members of the ARC shall recuse themselves from cases arising from their school. 

To contest a grade, students must initiate the appeal in writing to the instructor within thirty calendar days from the last day of class of the term in which the grade was recorded. Students must first appeal the matter in writing to the instructor(s) who taught the course. The appeal must specify reasons the assigned grade is incorrect or inappropriate. The instructor(s) will respond to the student in writing within ten working days of the date of the appeal. Should this response not satisfy the appeal, the student can appeal in writing within ten working days from the date of the instructor’s response to the department head/dean of the academic school in which the course was taught. The department head/dean may conduct a conference including the dean, the department head, the student, and the instructor. The department head/dean may convene an impartial committee in the discipline to review pertinent documents. Within ten working days from the date of the student’s appeal to the department head/dean, the department head/dean will respond to the student in writing. Should this procedure fail to resolve the appeal, the student must provide a written appeal to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs within ten working days from the date of the school department head/dean’s response. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will take the appeal to the Academic Review Committee, where further hearings may be conducted. The judgment of the Provost will be considered the final and binding decision on the matter.

The appeals process is intended to provide a venue whereby students may voice a claim of discrimination, capricious or unfair dealings, or denial of due process.