Tuskegee University

Appeals of Academic Decisions

A student has the right to appeal decisions regarding his/her academic performance or academic requirements. All appeals of academic decisions, including request for review of instructors’ grades, must be initiated not later than 30 calendar days after the decision was made.  Before initiating a petition for appeal, the student should attempt to resolve the problem directly with the instructor(s), faculty member(s) or other person(s) involved.

The following guidelines are applicable in appealing an academic decision: 

1. The student submits a written statement to the instructor’s college dean setting forth his/her complaint, efforts up to that point to resolve it, and supporting evidence or justification for the complaint. The college dean, upon receipt of this petition, should provide a copy of the same to the instructor, faculty member or person concerned. 
2. The college dean may appoint a committee of the faculty to review the written 62 statement from the student, secure additional information that the students may have, and to hear and examine evidence and information that the instructor or other person concerned may have to support his/her decision. The committee then makes a recommendation to the college dean, submitting to him/her all supporting data, and the dean then renders a decision, which is immediately communicated in writing to the student, the person(s) concerned, and the committee. 
3. If the student or the person(s) concerned is dissatisfied with the decision of the instructor’s college dean, he/she may appeal to the university provost. The person appealing to the provost must show justification and documentation for the appeal to be heard. If this is done, the provost will review all information and evidence, and if he/she wishes, refer the matter to a committee for further investigation and recommended actions. The provost then renders a decision, which is to be communicated to the student, the person(s) concerned, the college dean, and the members of the committee who have heard the case. 
4. If the student or the person(s) concerned is dissatisfied with the decision of the provost, he/she may appeal to the university president. It is extremely rare that a case would require investigation at the level of the president. In fact, most decisions would be made at the dean’s level. However, a student or the person(s) concerned must justify and show evidence why the appeal should be heard by the president after a decision of the provost has been rendered. The president will make a final decision in the case and communicate it to the provost and to all other persons listed in Step 3 above. 
5. All appeals of academic decisions, including request for review of instructors’ grades, must be initiated not later than 30 calendar days after the decision was made. A student who is not in residence should mail the written statement to the college dean.