Grievance

Appeals of grades in courses in CTC-approved courses are handled by the University Grade Appeal Policy. Candidates first discuss the grade with the course instructor. If a dispute remains, the candidate then discusses the grade with the Department Chair in an attempt to find resolution. If there is no resolution, then the candidate appeals to the relevant Associate Dean (CEAS for all programs but, CLASS for Speech-Language Pathology). The Associate Dean completes an independent review, interviewing the course instructor and the candidate. If the candidate remains unsatisfied, she/he submits a formal appeal to the University’s Office of Academic Program and Graduate Studies. A faculty panel reviews the appeal and may decide to convene a Faculty Hearing Panel to conduct a full review of the matter.

Candidates in all programs may be declassified (i.e., disqualified) from a program for clearly specified causes, based on University Policies. Candidates may also be suspended from the credential program or required to repeat the field experience course if the candidate earns no credit. All programs have declassification policies, consistent with University policies, in their program handbooks, and all candidates are directed to read their relevant handbooks.  The process for all programs is the same and explained below.

Program Coordinators recommend declassification to the Department Chair, who reviews the request. In each case, the candidate is informed of the cause of the declassification and the right to appeal. If the Chair agrees, then she/he recommends declassification to the Associate Dean. The candidate then appeals to the Associate Dean. The Associate Dean conducts an independent review, interviewing both the program coordinator and the candidate. If the Associate Dean agrees that declassification is appropriate, then she/he makes that recommendation to the University’s Director of Graduate Studies; the final decision to declassify resides with the Director.