| Can be Appealed | Are not Eligible for Appeal |
| Course Grades » | Academic Integrity Violations |
| Results of Preliminary Review (EdD) » | Conditions of Admissions |
| Dismissal from a Program » | Qualifying Exam |
| Dissertation Defense | |
| Failure to Meet CCTC Mandated Teaching Performance Expectation 12 | |
| Disciplinary Action by an Academic Review Panel |
Steps
- Step One: What Are You Appealing?
- Step Two: The Process for any of these Appeals Types
- Step Three: How Do I Start?
Academic Actions That Can Be Appealed
Grade Appeal
When a student brings forth issues of prejudiced, capricious or unfair evaluation of their work, the following procedures will be followed, except when a student has been charged with violating the rules regarding academic integrity. All grade appeals must be filed in writing by the end of the following semester (excluding the summer session) after the student received the disputed grade or evaluation.
Grade Appeal
Level One: Instructor
The student shall request a review by the instructor. Every effort should be made to resolve the matter at this level. A grade appeal must be initiated with a request in writing to the course instructor to review the grade in question. The instructor must notify the student in writing of the decision of their review regardless of the outcome within 15 days. The instructor response is bound by university policies regarding grading and course credit.
Level Two: Program
A student who is unsatisfied with the decision rendered by the faculty member may submit a request for appellate review and supporting documents to the Program Office. The appeal will be conducted either by the director, associate director, program chair, or a faculty course coordinator, depending on the program. In considering the appeal, the program-level reviewer weighs the rationale of both the student and the instructor. The reviewer must inform both you and the instructor of the decision in writing and, if the decision results in a change of grade, the instructor will have 15 days to respond before the change of grade is initiated.
Level Three: School (Appeal Panel or Administrative Review)
A student who is not satisfied with the outcome of the program-level review may request a school-level appeal. To begin the process, students should use the appeal request link, and submit supporting documents to the assistant dean for student affairs.
Appeals at this level will address one or more of the following criteria:
- New evidence has become available that is sufficient to alter the decision;
- The action imposed is excessive or inappropriate; or
- The parties involved failed to follow university rules or regulations while reviewing the cited
The appellant may request either a formal panel review or an administrative review.
If the student chooses a formal panel review, the assistant dean for student affairs will convene the panel, which will consist of two USC Rossier faculty members serving on the relevant faculty governance committee and one student appointed by the assistant dean. No panel member can be directly connected to the class section in which the grade was disputed.
Administrative reviews are conducted directly by the assistant dean for student affairs.
All reviews are based on the written documentation only. No oral arguments are considered. The review panel or assistant dean will review the appellant’s submission, any supporting materials submitted by the appellant, the class syllabus in use at time the grade was assigned, as well as any correspondence related to the appeal process at the program level. Consideration is limited to the criteria raised by the appellant.
The panel or assistant dean will make a recommendation to the associate dean for academic programs, who will make a decision that is final and binding. Some grade changes require university committee approval, so the decision in those cases is in the form of a recommendation to the academic review committee.
A written decision will be sent to the student within approximately 15 days of the hearing. This time period may be extended if necessary. The student will be informed in writing if the decision will be delayed.
If the disputed action results in removal from the university or termination of a student’s degree program, the student may choose to further appeal to the USC Graduate School. For all other grade appeals, the decision rendered at this level will be final and binding. The USC Graduate School appeal panel is a formal hearing for issues which have resulted in dismissal from a degree program and which have not been resolved at the department or school level. More information on this level of appeal is available on the USC Graduate School’s website.
Preliminary Review and Doctoral Screening Results
A student who does not pass the preliminary review has 15 days after receiving notification of the results to appeal the decision.
The appeal is based on the written documents submitted and no oral testimony will be considered. Appeals should be made through the assistant dean of student affairs. A panel including the associate deans for academic programs and faculty affairs reviews preliminary review appeals. The decision of this panel represents the final decision of the USC Rossier School of Education.
An additional level of appeal is available through the graduate school. The graduate school appeal panel is a formal hearing for issues which have resulted in dismissal from a degree program and which have not been resolved at the department or school level. More information on this level of appeal is available on the Graduate School’s website.
Dismissal from your Program
Students may appeal a dismissal from an academic program within 30 days of the date of dismissal, using the USC Rossier Academic Appeal Request Form. If the student is dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal, then, within 30 days of the date of the decision by the Program Office, they may appeal in writing to the assistant dean of student affairs. If the second appeal is unsuccessful, then the student may appeal in writing to the vice provost for graduate programs at the graduate school. Such an appeal must be received within 6 months after the student has received notice of the outcome of the school’s decision. The USC Graduate School website provides details on the appeal panel guidelines.
Academic integrity issues, including plagiarism, are addressed by USC Rossier’s Academic Integrity Process. This process includes an appeals level. Should the academic integrity case resolve with a program dismissal, the student may then appeal to the USC Graduate School. More information on this level of appeal is available on the USC Graduate School’s website.
Academic Actions That Are Not Eligible For Appeal
Academic Integrity Violations
Academic integrity issues, including plagiarism, are addressed for undergraduate students by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, and for graduate students by USC Rossier’s academic integrity process. The academic integrity process includes an appeals level, after which the decision is final and binding.
Qualifying Exam and Dissertation Defense Results
The outcome of a qualifying exam or dissertation defense cannot be appealed within the USC Rossier School. However, at the dissertation committee’s discretion, a student may be examined a second time. The time and content of the second examination are subject to USC Rossier and USC Graduate School policies, which can be found in the current USC Catalogue.
A student who does not pass the qualifying exam or the dissertation defense, and who is then dismissed from the program, may appeal this decision through the USC Graduate School. The USC Graduate School appeal panel is a formal hearing for issues which have resulted in dismissal from a degree program and which have not been resolved at the department or school level. More information on this level of appeal is available on the USC Graduate School’s website.
Failure to Meet CCTC Mandated Teaching Performance Expectation 6 [MAT Students only]
An academic review panel’s decision to impose remediation, suspension or dismissal from a credential track on a student who fails to comply with CCTC TPE 6 is not appealable. Should the academic integrity case resolve with a program dismissal, the student may then appeal to the USC Graduate School. More information on this level of appeal is available on the USC Graduate School’s website.
Disciplinary Action by an Academic Review Panel
An academic review panel’s decision to impose remediation, suspension or dismissal from a credential track on a student who fails to comply with the conditions of behavioral contract is not appealable at the USC RossierSchool. Should the academic integrity case resolve with a program dismissal, the student may then appeal to the USC Graduate School. More information on this level of appeal is available on the USC Graduate School’s website.