Grade Appeals Disputes

This policy is determined by the School of Arts and Sciences Grade Appeals Policy. Students must follow these steps in order to dispute a grade.

Grade Appeals
Student complaints about grades are treated in the "University Policies and Procedures" section of the New Brunswick Undergraduate Catalog. This subsection is in the portion of the catalog which can be downloaded from http://www.rutgers.edu/catalogs/nb-ug/03-05/general.pdf - click on the section "University Policies and Procedures" in the downloaded pfd file. It reads as follows:

"Students wishing to file a complaint about a course grade, or a grade received for a particular piece of work in a course, should first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion with the instructor. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved between student and instructor, the student may specify in writing the basis for the complaint and request a review by the departmental chairperson. A written complaint about a grade for work completed while the course is in progress must be submitted to the departmental chairperson no later than two weeks after notification of the grade. A student must submit a written complaint about a final course grade with the departmental chairperson no later than four weeks after the end of the exam period for that term.

A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the department should appeal in writing to the office of the dean of the faculty offering the course. Written notification of the action taken by either the chairperson or by the dean will be sent to the student within four weeks of the filing of the appeal, excluding those weeks in which classes are not in regular session."

If a student in an SAS course has followed the grade appeal procedure through the steps of discussion with the instructor and with the department or program, and still wishes to appeal to the office of the Dean of the Faculty, the student should be directed to address that written appeal to Michael Beals, SAS Dean for Educational Initiatives, SAS Deans Office, 77 Hamilton Street, CAC. Email is also fine, to beals@fas.rutgers.edu. Students who contact the Dean's office before following the procedure of contacting the instructor and then the department will be referred back to the instructor or department, where the most informed resolution of such matters is typically available.