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1233 Girvetz Hall
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Mail Code: 3050
(805) 893-2885
(805) 893-8732 Fax
A. If after speaking to the faculty member in charge of the course and department chair, a student wishes to contest a grade on grounds specified in Divisional Regulation 25, he/she must present a written appeal to an official designated by the Executive Committee, usually the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (or equivalent) of the appropriate school(s) or college(s) offering the undergraduate course, or the Graduate Dean in the case of a graduate course (hereinafter, "the dean(s)"). This appeal must be submitted before the end of the term following the term in which the grade was assigned. Upon receipt of this appeal, the dean(s) shall promptly seek to resolve the issue by consulting the parties involved and the chair of the instructor's department. If the Chair was the instructor involved he/she shall not participate in these deliberations in any way except as one of the parties. In such cases, the dean shall proceed to attempt to resolve the dispute independently. If the dean was the instructor involved, he/she shall not participate in these deliberations except as one of the parties. In such cases, the immediate supervisor of the dean(s) shall recommend to the Executive Committee or Graduate Council an appropriate alternate for the dean. If the complaint is resolved, the dean(s) shall provide a letter describing the resolution to the student(s), instructor(s), and chair(s) involved.
B. If these efforts are unavailing within 30 days following receipt of the student's initial written complaint by the dean(s), the student may within the next 15 days present a final written appeal to the Executive Committee(s) of the respective college(s) or the Graduate Council, a copy of which shall also be given to the dean(s). If a member of the Executive Committee or Graduate Council was the instructor involved, that person shall not participate in the case in any way except as one of the parties. As soon as is feasible, the dean(s) shall prepare a report for the Executive Committee or Graduate Council providing the details of (i) the prior investigations, including information as to the allegations and the evidence produced by the student to establish the case; (ii) the instructor's response to the student's allegations; (iii) all other information the dean may have gathered in the course of the investigation that bears on the credibility of the student's complaint. Copies of the dean's report shall be sent to the instructor and the student, both of whom should submit written comments to the Executive Committee/Graduate Council within 30 days of receipt of the dean's report. Having granted both parties a reasonable opportunity, the Committee/Council shall make a final determination with 60 days after receipt of the complaint. Should the dean's investigation tend to demonstrate a pattern of faculty misconduct extending beyond the particular case, the dean shall inform the Executive Committee/Graduate Council which is then responsible for assuring that appropriate corrective actions are taken including but not limited to grade changes as specified in (D) below and referral of the case to other appropriate committees and agencies.
C. If the Executive Committee/Graduate Council decides that the grade (or units) assigned is (are) not reflective of the student's course performance, it shall authorize one of the actions stated below.
The Committee/Council may act only as follows:
- authorize retroactive withdrawal from the course;
- authorize a change of contested grade;
- for courses offered in the College of Creative Studies, the Executive Committee shall determine the number of units to be assigned.