Procedures for Handling Violations and Right of Appeal

Course Grade Appeal

(For the complete policy, please refer to FACULTY POLICY SERIES #42: https://www.hofstra.edu/fps/42.html (Rev. 2012) COURSE GRADE APPEAL POLICY - excluding the Maurice A. Deane School of Law and Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.) 

It is the right and responsibility of the faculty to determine student grades at Hofstra University. An instructor’s right to determine a final grade assigned in the instructor’s class shall be abrogated only if it is demonstrated (through the procedure below) that the final course grade was not based on the student’s academic performance in the course. Each School and College at Hofstra shall adopt procedures consistent with the policy for appeals of final course grades given within that unit. Within these procedures, a student shall appeal in writing first to the instructor (unless the instructor is no longer in residence or is otherwise unreachable). If this appeal does not resolve the issue, the student may then appeal to the chair of the department. The student shall be required to submit a written statement to the chair detailing an argument for a change of final grade. The chair shall attempt to mediate a resolution but cannot change a grade. If no satisfactory resolution is achieved, the student has a right to continue the appeal process by making a formal written appeal to the dean of the unit involved. The dean will review the issues and merits of the case. The dean may choose to dismiss the case if there is no material basis for the appeal, to mediate a resolution, or to empanel an Ad Hoc Appeals Committee according to the timeline as appropriate. For more information about the appeals process and further steps, please visit https://www.hofstra.edu/fps/42.html.