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Appeal Procedures

The Graduate Studies Appeals Committee convenes once a month during the Fall and Spring semesters to consider appeals for the following: Change of Grade from FIN and WU to W, Readmission, and Dismissal. The Graduate Studies Committee DOES NOT adjudicate letter grade appeals (A-F). Letter grade appeals are the responsibility of your respective department, school, or program.

Your graduate department or program may have department or program-specific appeals procedures. If so, you must first attempt to resolve your issue by following your graduate department/program appeals procedures. Be sure to check with your program, department, or school to find out if they have program specific procedures.

In the event you then wish to appeal the decision of your graduate department, program, or school, you may then appeal to the Graduate Studies Appeals Committee. All decisions of the Graduate Studies Appeals Committee are final.

Appeals for a Change of Grade from FIN and WU to W

  1. Complete the Instructor’s Grade Change Release Form for each WU/FIN grade you wish to petition. Graduate Students may appeal up to two WU/FIN grades. Follow instructions on form. Note: Grade Change Release forms can be picked up at the Registrar’s Office in 2A-107 or at the Center for Advising and Academic Success in 1A-101.

  2. Once the form is verified, locate each professor and have them sign the form. If a professor is no longer at CSI, ask for the signature of the Department Chair. Office staff may be able to assist you in acquiring the signature. The ONLY departments which require an instructor’s signature are Chemistry, Nursing, and Physics & Astronomy.

  3. Write a well organized one page Letter of Appeal clearly explaining why you wish to appeal your WU / FIN grade. The letter should explain any medical, legal, emotional, financial or other hardships that were affecting you, e.g. relationship difficulties, divorce, illness, loss of loved one, financial or other hardships. Be specific about the event or concern; who… what…when …where … why…how? Reasons such as absence from classes, being unaware of the procedure for how to drop a class, or disliking the professor are not considered extraordinary. If you did well in other classes that same semester, you must explain any discrepancy as well as why you failed to officially withdraw from the course. Further, the letter should explain how you have addressed your issues and how they will not interfere with future graduate study, for example, I have fully recovered from my illness; an unemployed family member is now working again; I have arranged child-care for my child. The letter must be typed, signed, and include the date and your name.

  4. Provide Supporting Documentation about your issues for the semester in question ,e.g. therapy, medical, financial, legal, employment or other emergency. Documentation such as a letter from other people may be acceptable (e.g. clergy, teacher, and employer). Be sure the letter is on official letterhead or stamped and signed.

  5. Be sure to notify the coordinator or director of your graduate studies program, as they are required to send to the Chair of Graduate Studies a separate letter regarding your appeal.

  6. Appeal paperwork should be arranged in the following sequence:

  7. Submit the appeal to the Registrar’s Office, 2A-107. The office will forward it to the Graduate Studies Appeals Committee.

  8. Please note that the Graduate Studies Appeals Committee does not meet in June, July, August, and January.

All other Appeals (Dismissal, Readmission, Other) 

Students follow the same procedures detailed above with the exception of the Grade Change Release Form, which is not required.