SOE Policies

Faculty Success can be reported through Digital Measures. Digital Measures is a tool for academic faculty to track in- and out-of-classroom instructional; research; creative; clinical and service activities. By adding our scholarly achievements to this comprehensive repository, Digital Measures will enable you to enter information once for various individual, department, college, and university uses — such as annual faculty activity reports; vitae and bio-sketches for grant applications; accreditation self-studies; and your web profile. For a guide to using Digital Measures click here.

Please follow the official AFAR application provided by the provost office. This is the rubric on how they are reviewed.

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An eligible course grade grievance results from an improper academic evaluation. Students may grieve a grade only if: 

   a) there was an error in calculation which has a material impact on the final course grade; or

   b) the instructor failed to comply with the syllabus or posted revisions to the syllabus, other written or established course requirements, or University discrimination policies, which had a material impact on the final grade. 

Academic evaluation that is not eligible includes dissatisfaction with the evaluation criteria noted in the syllabus, dissatisfaction with the level of difficulty of work load associated with the course, objections regarding the style or quality of the instructors teaching. 

I. Informal Procedure 

   a) If a student disputes a course grade, the student must notify the instructor of record within 20 business days from the posting of the course grade. The student should submit a written statement that would include a copy of the syllabus along with copies of all tests, quizzes, or other written work that was completed and graded as part of the course requirements. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide the student access to all his/her tests, attendance records, if any, and other material considered in the course of the alleged grievance. Hopefully, consultation with the instructor of record will resolve the problem in question. 

   b) If no resolution can be reached (which includes a situation in which the instructor is unavailable for a discussion), the student may seek review of the department chair within the department in which the course is being offered. If the chair of the department is the faculty of record the student should appeal directly to associate dean (section c of this document). Such review must be sought no later than five (5) business days after attempts to resolve the issues with the instructor have failed. The student’s written grievance must fully describe the nature of the complaint and the informal resolution efforts, and should include any relevant evidence or documentation. Upon receipt of the grievance the chair will attempt to resolve the complaint informally.  

If the student alleges that the final course grade resulted from a violation of the University’s discrimination policies, the Chair will immediately refer the case to the Title IX offer for faculty who will review the case in accordance with the University Policy  

   c) If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student. The student must within seven (7) days after consultation with the department chair bring the complaint and all relevant document to the Associate Dean Graduate Education (for graduate courses) or the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Engagement (for undergraduate courses)

   d) If consultation with the Associate Deans fails to resolve the issue the student may then request to have the matter referred to the Academic Fairness Committee, but this can only be made when all the previous steps have been employed. If the Associate Dean is the faculty of record those matters should be referred to the Dean of the School of Education. 

II. Formal Procedure (Academic Fairness Committee) 

It is the responsibility of the student to complete the form with all supporting documentation. Please click here to complete the form. Once the form is completed it will be given to the faculty member on record and a member of the Academic Fairness Committee. The forms must be completed and submitted within two weeks of  the initiation of the procedure. Once the form is received the formal process begins. Prior to any deliberations on this case if the faculty member concerned is a member of the Academic Fairness Committee the Dean Shall appoint a replacement from the faculty 

If the committee determines that the grievance is not eligible to be resolved under this course grade grievance policy the committee indicates “ineligible” on the grievance form, completes the rationale section and distribute copies of the form to the student, faculty member, the faculty members immediate administrative supervisor and the dean. A formal letter should be sent to all parties and a record of the information should be kept on file. At this time the decision of the committee is final. 

If the student submitted a grievance that is eligible to be resolved under this course grade grievance procedure policy the committee will follow the process as stated below: 

   a) A hearing shall be conducted. The hearing is not regarded as a court of law and full adversary-type procedures will not be followed. The hearing shall be both confidential and closed to protect the student and instructor. 

   b) The student and respective faculty member will have to present their evidence at the hearing but they are not present as the committee's deliberations and voting. All parties may have an advisor or counsel of choice with them at their presentation. 

The burden of proof shall rest solely upon the student lodging the complaint. In no case shall the committee consider statements against either the student or the instructor unless the individual has been advised of their content and of the names of those who made them, and has been given the opportunity to refute unfavorable inferences, which might otherwise be drawn. 

All matters upon which the decision may be based must be introduced into evidence at the proceeding before the committee. The decision what be based solely upon such matters. 

The committee has the power to request and receive the evidence it deems necessary and pertinent to the case. 

The committee shall, by a majority vote, either: 

   a) Uphold the grade of the instructor; or 

   b) Uphold the contention of the student that the final grade was unfair. 

If the decision supports the instructor, the case is deemed closed. 

If the decision supports the student, the committee shall submit in writing a recommendation to the instructor to change the final grade to any suggested by the committee. 

The decision of the committee shall constitute final resolution of the complaint and written notice will be sent within two weeks by the committee to the student, the instructor, the chair of the department involved, and the appropriate dean. 

Upon non-compliance by the instructor with two weeks of the decision of the committee regarding the grade, the grade recommended by the committee will become the student's final grade. 

The chair of the committee will advise all parties that all portions of the complaint, including information and testimony gathered in the case as well as the resolution, are to be kept in strict confidence. At no time may any reference to or portion of the record of the case be used, referred to, or incorporated into studies and evaluations of any nature or into any official faculty files. 

The ultimate decision and action of this committee shall be considered final and admit of no further appeal. 

Approved: 9/14/2020

1) Students and Instructors are encouraged review the University Libraries webpage on plagiarism. 

2) In all instances of plagiarism, the instructor is strongly encouraged to give the student a grade of “F” for the plagiarized assignment OR  “F” for the course and must fill out a student misconduct form.

3) The instructor shall promptly notify the student that the grade is due to plagiarism and that he/she has the right to appeal (see Academic Honor Code/ Judicial Process). 

4) Should the student exercise that right to appeal, the matter then falls under the jurisdiction of the Dean’s Resolution Committee pursuant to the process outlined in the Academic Honor Code. 

5) The Dean will convene the Resolution Committee if

        a. the student appeals the charge of plagiarism or the resulting grade; or

        b. another instance of plagiarism has been noted.

6) The Dean’s Resolution Committee will consist of

        a. Two faculty members and students selected from faculty council (if possible)

             i. Two undergraduate students (if the case involves an undergraduate student).

             ii. Two graduate students (if the case involves a graduate student). 

7) If the charges against the student are sustained by the Dean’s Resolution Committee a letter will be sent to all parties involved. If the student wishes to appeal this judgment, the student shall direct such an appeal in writing to the appropriate appeals committee (Academic Fairness Committee of the Faculty Council). Appeals must be based on either procedural error which prejudiced the decision or evidence discovered after the hearing. In no case shall there be an appeal against a decision that has been determined by the Academic Fairness Committee. The decision of the Academic Fairness Committee shall be final. If the Academic Fairness Committee sustains an appeal, the matter will be returned to the Dean’s  Resolution Committee for further action.  

8) In all instances where a grade of F is given for a course pursuant to point 2 above, and that grade survives any appeals process referenced herein, that grade of F supersedes the affected student's right to withdraw from the course and preempt or replace that grade of F.  

Approved 9/14/2020

The School of Education follows the university process to resolve any issues that violates the Academic Honor Pledge. For the purposes of academic integrity, the faculty member observes an apparent act of academic misconduct, discusses it with the student, and in most cases, comes to a resolution. All disciplinary records including those involving academic misconduct of any severity are retained for seven years.

This form is required for any academic honor code violation in which a grade of F for the plagiarized assignment or F for the course is imposed.

It is encouraged that this form is also used to document any academic honor code violation that does not result in the imposed sanction stated above.

If the complainant chooses to present the charges to the Office of Judicial Affairs, please use this form along with a description of the allegation and supporting evidence.

Please click here for the Academic Honor Code Violation Faculty Documentation Form