Appeal of Academic Action
Grounds for Appeal
A student may appeal an Academic Action for the following reasons:
- College policy or grade issued was arbitrary, capricious, or contrary to written instructions;
- Appellant was not fully informed of the College’s dissatisfaction with student’s academic or clinical progress
Timing and Form of Appeal
The appeal of an instructor’s academic action involving the award of a final grade shall be made in writing, within ten (10) business days of the date that the final course grade is posted to Carteret Compass.
The appeal of a removal from a course for reasons other than academic dishonesty shall be made in writing, within five (5) business days of notification of being dropped, be it a written or verbal notification.
The letter of appeal shall:
- Clearly state the student’s grounds for appeal and any supporting information;
- Be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, by email from the student’s college account, or hand-delivered; and
- Be directed to the appropriate Dean for the instructional area in which the grade was given. If the Dean issued the grade, the appeal shall be directed to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Support.
- The college official receiving the appeal shall note the date of receipt on the face of the appeal.
- If the letter of appeal is hand- delivered, a copy of the letter, signed and dated by a college official, shall be proof of delivery.
- The Dean or Vice President to whom the appeal is directed will also be responsible for notifying, in writing, the instructor and all line supervisors concerning the appeal.
The Dean or the Vice President to whom the appeal is directed shall investigate the facts and determine whether the action should be upheld or reversed.
Dismissal Pending Appeal
If a studet appeals an academic action leading to dismissal from a course, activity, or program, the student is not to be dismissed from the course, activity, or program, if applicable, until the appeal process is complete unless:
- In the case of a clinical affiliate or other off-campus contractor providing cooperative experiences, immediate removal is required by the contractor or cooperative agency;
- The student’s continued participation in the activity would pose a threat to the student, the College, or others; or
- College Policy would be violated.
Erroneous Academic Action
If, at any point in the appeals process, based on the evidence, it is determined that an erroneous academic action has been taken, the Dean or the Vice President to whom the appeal is directed, the instructor, and the student shall meet within five (5) business days from the date of such determination to agree on corrective action. If circumstances make it impractical for the parties to meet within five (5) business days, then the Dean or the Vice President may extend this meeting date to a date agreeable to both parties, but in no event shall the extension be more than thirty (30) calendar days.
Notification of Decision
The Dean or the Vice President to whom the appeal is directed shall:
- Notify the student of a decision in writing, either by hand-delivery, certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, or email to the student’s college account within ten (10) business days from the date of receipt of the notice of appeal; and
- Send copies of the decision to the instructor and all line supervisors of the instructor. A copy of the decision must also be sent to the parents if the appellant is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated minor subject to FERPA.
Appeal from Decision of a Dean to a Vice President
If a student’s appeal is denied by a Dean, the student may appeal this decision to the appropriate Vice President, be it the Vice President of Instruction and Student Support or the Vice President of Corporate and Community Education.
The appeal shall be made in writing within five business days of the date of the receipt of the denial. The letter of appeal shall:
- Clearly state the student’s grounds for appeal and any supporting information; and
- Be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, emailed to the student’s college account, or hand- delivery.
The decision of the Vice President will be made within 10 (ten) business days of the receipt of the letter of appeal.
Notification of Decision of Vice President
The student shall be notified in writing of the decision through certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, email to the student’s college account, or hand-delivery.
A decision on an appeal of an academic action made by the Vice President is final.
If the final appeal is resolved against the student, the academic action shall be permanently recorded. In the event that a student is dismissed from the College, tuition credits will be made according to state guidelines.
Appeal of Disciplinary Action
Before beginning a non-academic related disciplinary action appeal process, the student should contact a Student Advocate for assistance with the preparation and presentation of the appeal and to answer questions regarding the appeal process.
Grounds for Appeal
A student may appeal a disciplinary action for the following reasons only:
- The action taken was arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to published college policy, or
- Insufficient evidence exists to sustain the disciplinary action.
Timing and Form of Appeal
The appeal of a formal written Disciplinary Action shall be made in writing to the Dean of Student Services.
The appeal must be submitted within ten (10) business days of the receipt of written notification of the disciplinary action.
The letter of appeal shall:
- Clearly state the student’s grounds for appealing and any supporting information; and
- Be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, email from the student’s college account, or hand- delivery.