Undergraduate Student Appeals

Undergraduate students who consider that they are entitled to relief from or deviation in the academic regulations of the University or the College of Education should meet with their academic advisor to begin the petitions process. The review process for the petition will depend on the academic regulation that is being petitioned: 

1. Petitions for course substitutions and course overloads will be reviewed and determined by the program coordinator. These requests should be submitted on the College of Education Course Substitution and Overload Request Form [pdf]. Concerns regarding the decision of the program coordinator should first be addressed with the Department Chair within 20 business days of being notified that the petition was disapproved. Only after discussing the matter with the Department Chair, the student has the right to appeal the decision to the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. Appeals to the Student Affairs Committee must be in writing and submitted within 20 business days from the date the student consulted with the Department Chair.

2. All other undergraduate appeals, including but not limited to the 25% residency rule (last 30-hour rule), academic program progression rules, requirements for admission to the Professional Program, requirements for admission to Internship/Directed Teaching, and Internship clinical placement changes must be approved by the program coordinator, the Department Chair, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All three must concur for the petition to be approved. Petitions should be submitted on the College of Education and Professional Education Unit Petitions Form. If disapproved, the student has the right to appeal the decision to the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. Appeals to the Student Affairs Committee must be in writing and submitted within 20 business days from the date the student was notified that the petition was disapproved.
   
   If a student wishes to appeal a decision to the Student Affairs Committee after the 20 business
   days as described in the procedures above have passed, they must first seek permission from the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. The student must submit a written petition asking that the 20-day rule be waived. The petition should address why the student was unable to meet the 20-day deadline. Any supporting documentation should be attached.

 

Graduate Student Appeals

Graduate students who consider that they are entitled to relief from or deviation in the academic regulations of the University or the College of Education should meet with their academic advisor to begin the petition process. The review process for the petition will depend on the academic regulation that is being petitioned: 

Graduate student appeals procedures are as follows for specific conditions:

1. Course substitutions and other program of study exceptions must be recommended for approval by the student’s faculty advisor and the Graduate Director/Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Both must concur for the petition to be recommended to the Graduate School for approval.
2. The College of Education has the following progression and assessment rules:

• 12-hours-below-B rule that stipulates that “12 hours of credit below a grade of B on graduate work while admitted to a College of Education graduate degree or certificate program will disqualify a student from continuation in and completion of that program.”
• Progression assessments limit rule that stipulates that graduate students “will have a maximum of two opportunities to pass required progression assessments.”
• Maximum 898/899 grades of U rule that stipulates that two semesters of grades of U in 898/899 coursework results in suspension from any COE doctoral program (Ph.D. or Ed.D.). A formal petition process to continue in the program is required after two grades of Unsatisfactory (U). Three grades of Unsatisfactory (U) disqualifies a student from further enrollment in a College of Education doctoral program (Ed.D. or Ph.D.).
• Dissertation hours 24-30 rule that stipulates that doctoral students can take up to 24 hours of 898/899 credit without petition. After 24 hours of 898/899 credit, students must petition to take additional credit. An approved petition allows students to take up to 30 hours of dissertation credit.
  
  Petitions must be approved by the faculty advisor, Department Chair, and Graduate Director/Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All three must concur for the petition to be approved. Petitions should be submitted on the Graduate Petitions Form [pdf].

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2. All petitions for admission to professional program or internship, as well as Internship clinical placement changes for students in a graduate initial teacher certification program (M.A.T. or M.T.) must be approved by the program coordinator, the Department Chair, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All three must concur for the petition to be approved. Petitions should be submitted on the Graduate Petitions Form [pdf].
3. All other Graduate School requirements including but not limited to GPA requirements, extension of probation, and reinstatement after suspension must be recommended for approval by the faculty advisor, the Department Chair, and the Graduate Director/Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All three must concur for the petition to be recommended to the Graduate School for approval. Petitions should be submitted on the Graduate Petitions Form [pdf].

 

If disapproved through the processes described above, the student has the right to appeal the decision to the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. Appeals to the Student Affairs Committee must be in writing and submitted within 20 business days from the date the student was notified that the petition was disapproved. After reviewing an appeal, the committee will send its recommendation to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the student will be notified of the decision. If disapproved by the College of Education Student Affairs Committee, the student may appeal to the Grievance, Appeals and Petitions Committee of the Graduate Council.

If a student wishes to appeal a decision after the 20 business days as described in the procedures above have passed, they must first seek permission from the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. The student must submit to the Student Affairs Committee a written petition asking that the 20-day rule be waived. The petition should address why the student was unable to meet the 20-day deadline. Any supporting documentation should be attached.

 

The College of Education Student Affairs Committee

As described above, a student may appeal to the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. Appeals to the committee must be submitted to the committee in writing through the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The makeup of the committee is outlined in the College of Education by-laws and includes faculty and two students from the College of Education. If both students are not available, at least one must be present when the committee is reviewing an appeal. An undergraduate student will be on the committee when reviewing appeals brought by an undergraduate student and a graduate student will be on the committee when reviewing appeals brought by a graduate student. In cases when the full committee is not available during the fall/spring of the academic year, the committee to review an appeal will be comprised of at least three members of the Student Affairs Committee and must include at least one undergraduate or graduate student depending on the level of the student submitting the appeal. When decisions are required outside the fall-spring academic year and members of the committee are not available, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may appoint a committee that includes representatives outside the student's department to review the appeal.

For alleged violations of the Teaching Responsibility or Free Expression policies of the University, see the College of Education Student Academic Grievance Policy and Grievance Committee Procedures. Neither an appeal nor grievance is considered to extend to matters of grading student work. Final authority for grades remains with the teacher.