29 NSU STUDENT HANDBOOK 2023-24 D. Academic appeals may be brought to challenge a grade or academic decision typically on one or more of three grounds: 1) if an academic decision resulted from administrative error or from misapprehension of some material fact or circumstance, e.g., evaluation reflected an error in the examination or question itself or misread the student’s written response; 2) if an academic decision departs substantially from accepted academic standards for the discipline and the university; or 3) if circumstances suggest that an academic decision reflected the prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards, of student status protected under Board policy, state or federal civil rights law or of other considerations that are inconsistent with the bona fide exercise of academic judgment. 2. Academic Appeal Procedure A. A student should first attempt to informally resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. After an attempt at informal resolution between the student and faculty member, any student with an academic appeal shall first file a written appeal on the Final Grade/Academic Decision Appeal Form with the faculty member involved and during a scheduled conference shall request relief from that person. This filing must occur within thirty calendar days from the date that the student received notification of the action. The instructor or academic decision-maker(s) shall listen to the student’s concerns, shall provide explanation, and shall change the grade or reconsider the decision if the student provides convincing argument for doing so. If the course is an online course, the scheduled conference may be made via video conference, e.g., Zoom. A written decision by the faculty member must be made and sent to the student by official NSU email within ten (10) school days after the written appeal was filed. The decision of the faculty member shall also be sent to department chair and division dean within ten (10) school days after the written appeal has been filed, using official NSU email. B. If, in the opinion of the student, the faculty member’s decision does not satisfactorily resolve the appeal, within five (5) school days of receipt of the decision the student shall file the written Final Grade/Academic Decision Appeal Form with the appropriate department chairperson to request relief. Within two (2) days of receipt of the written appeal, the chairperson shall send a copy of the Appeal Form to the division dean and the faculty member. The department chair shall discuss the appeal with the student, faculty member, and division dean, individually. If the course is an online course, the scheduled conference may be made via video conference, e.g., Zoom. At this point the faculty member, the department chairperson, the division dean, or the student may request that a discussion of the appeal include all four parties. The request of any one of the individuals shall be honored. The decision of the department chair shall be sent to the faculty member and the student within ten (10) school days after the written appeal has been filed, using official NSU email. Any deadlines in this procedure for the department chair that fall outside of the normal fall and spring semesters, e.g., during the winter break or summer terms, shall be set to the first week of the next semester. C. If a chairperson’s grade or decision, in the role as a faculty member, is being appealed, and if resolution satisfactory to the student is not reached as outlined in step A, the written Final Grade/ Academic Decision Appeal Form shall be filed with the appropriate division dean and procedures similar to those outlined in step B shall be followed. D. If the decision is not satisfactory to the student, the student may forward the Final Grade/ Academic Decision Appeal Form to the Academic Appeal Committee within ten (10) school days after receiving the faculty chair’s/division dean’s decision. The student shall send the Appeal Form to the Academic Appeal Committee via an email to the provost’ official NSU email on the student’s
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