Selection Procedures & Chair Responsibilities
Committee Composition
The University Grade Appeal Committee (UGAC) will consist of two faculty members from each college, only one of which will serve and vote on any given appeal, and one undergraduate student member with a vote for undergraduate appeals and one graduate student member with a vote for graduate appeals. Selection to the University Grade Appeal Committee is outlined below.
Faculty Member Selection
Two faculty members from each academic college who are elected or appointed according to procedures established by the college faculty will comprise the cohort of faculty who serve on the committee.
- Each faculty member will serve three terms (3 years).
- Faculty should be appointed to the committee so that at least two members of the committee are in the third year of their term and at least two members of the committee are in the second year of their term.
- At least one of the two faculty members elected to the committee for each college must hold a graduate faculty appointment, so that half of all the members of the UGAC are members of the graduate faculty. In the event of an appeal involving a graduate student, at least half of the UGAC members hearing the appeal must have a graduate faculty appointment.
- Department chairs may not serve on the University Grade Appeal Committee because of the role that the department chair already serves in the process.
Student Member Selection
For undergraduate appeals, the undergraduate student appointed to the UGAC must serve on the committee. The voting member will be selected collaboratively by the Student Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
For graduate appeals, the graduate student appointed to UGAC must serve on the committee. The voting member will be selected collaboratively by the Student Dean of the Graduate School and by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Terms of Service
The term of service is the fiscal year that begins on July 1 and concludes on June 30 each year. Faculty members serve three terms. Student members serve one term.
Committee Orientation
Prior to hearing any appeals in the new fiscal year, the new UGAC chair will convene the new committee members to provide an orientation for all members. The orientation will include a comprehensive review of the policy, procedures, and forms used to administer the Grade Appeal Policy.
Chair Selection
The vice chair will become the new UGAC chair with each new fiscal year. Prior to hearing any appeals in the new fiscal year, the new UGAC chair (former UGAC vice chair) will convene an initial meeting to elect a new UGAC vice chair from among committee members entering their first or second year of service. The new UGAC vice chair will become the new UGAC chair during the second or third year of service.
UGAC Chair Responsibilities
- Faculty Member Substitutes: A representative from each college must serve on a grade appeal review. In the event that a faculty member is not able to participate due to illness, leave, or conflict of interest, the other appointed representative from the college shall serve. In only extraordinary circumstances, when both members of a college are unable to serve, the UGAC chair will select a substitute from the pool of available members. The UGAC chair may also name a substitute for a member if the chair determines that there is a conflict of interest with the appeal. A conflict of interest occurs when the appeal involves the UGAC faculty member in any way.
- Student Member Substitutes: The UGAC chair may name a substitute for a voting student member for a specific grade appeal if the student member is not able to participate due to illness, academic assignments away from campus, or conflicts of interest. The UGAC chair will select a substitute student member in collaboration with the appropriate student leader. When a substitute student member is named for a voting student member, that voting student member will not attend or participate in the appeal in any way unless the student member is directly involved in the grade appeal.
- Chair substitutes: If the chair is unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities for a specific grade appeal due to illness, leave, or conflict of interest, the chair will request that the UGAC vice chair will assume the UGAC chair's responsibilities for the specific appeal. When a vice chair substitutes for the chair, the chair will not attend or participate in the appeal in any way unless the chair is directly involved in the grade appeal.
- Annual Reports: At the end of each fall and spring term the UGAC chair will complete a report for each dean that provides a confidential summary of each appeal relevant to the respective college for the specified term and its outcome or its status at the time of the report. Within thirty (30) days after the end of each fall semester and the end of each spring semester, each dean will submit a Summary Report of Grade Appeals for the appropriate council.
