Our goal in the College of Education at UCCS is to provide the best experience for students. However, in the event that you have feel you have been treated unfairly, the College of Education has a process in place to address your concerns.

Formal procedures by which a currently enrolled student may seek to remedy academic and professional complaints within the College of Education are described below. Student appeals are challenges to academic actions or decisions. Appeals will be considered for:

• Final grades;
• Denied admission to a professional education program;
• Denied permission to student teach or to complete professional internship;
• Denied permission to graduate due to missing requirements;
• Actions related to thesis or capstone projects;
• Dismissal from a program.

Students should always try to work the problem out by first discussing it with those involved. Requests to appeal a final grade should start with the faculty member responsible for teaching the course. Requests to appeal other program decisions should start with the program leader (e.g., program coordinator or faculty director). Dealing with concerns in the most direct fashion should always be the first step toward resolution. Many problems are resolved when a student makes an appointment with a faculty member and thoughtfully presents detailed evidence and communicates their concerns.

• Contact the faculty member(s), in writing, within 30 days of the final grade being posted or of the program decision.
• All relevant information pertaining to the request should be presented in writing. We strongly encourage you to resolve the grievance through discussion with the faculty member(s) involved. Include any evidence that supports the grievance, such as class syllabi, assignments, and/or statements from other students.
• Be aware that final grades are traditionally within the jurisdiction of individual instructors and are not likely to be changed without evidence that the faculty member 1) determined your grade based on considerations other than your performance in the course; 2) substantially differed from previously announced criteria or procedures in determining the final grade; or 3) violated university or college policy in determining the final grade. 
• The faculty member(s) has 15 days to provide a written decision to your written appeal. If a response is not sent within this timeframe, you may proceed directly to Step Two: Appealing to the Department Chair.

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the faculty member(s), you may choose to appeal the request to the Department Chair. If the faculty member is also the Department Chair, you may submit the appeal request to the Associate Dean of the College of Education.

• Contact the Department Chair, in writing, within 30 days of your original written appeal to the faculty member(s) in Step One. 
• Clearly state the basis for the complaint and the remedy requested, and the date and result of the initial communication with the faculty member(s). Submit the following materials to the Department Chair:
  • a letter of appeal to the Department Chair;
  • your original written appeal to the faculty member(s), and their written decision;
  • any evidence that supports the grievance, such as class syllabi, assignments, and/or statements from other students.
• After receiving your written appeal, the Department Chair may request additional information from you, faculty member, or other appropriate persons and to reach a decision.
• The Department Chair has 45 days from your original written appeal to the faculty member(s) (in Step One) to provide a written decision to your written appeal.

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Department Chair, you may choose to appeal the request to the College Grievance Committee. The College Grievance Committee includes faculty members representing all departments in the college. Faculty members or chairs with direct or prior involvement in an individual case will remove themselves from reviewing that case. The chair of the committee may also request that an individual member remove themself from a particular case.

• Any appeals to the College Grievance Committee should be submitted within 60 days of your original written appeal to the faculty member(s) in Step One. Clearly state the basis for the complaint and the remedy requested, and the date and result of the initial communication with the faculty member(s). Submit your written appeal and the following materials in an email to the Associate Dean:
  • a letter of appeal to the College Grievance Committee;
  • your original written appeal to the faculty member(s), and their written decision;
  • your written appeal to the Department Chair, and their written decision;
  • any evidence that supports the grievance, such as class syllabi, assignments, and/or statements from other students.
• Upon receiving an appeal, the Associate Dean will verify that all required information has been included in the appeal. If incomplete, the appeal will be sent back to you, and you may resubmit if you are still within the required time frame. If complete, the Associate Dean will send the appeal to the chair of the Grievance Committee.
• Upon receiving the appeal, the Grievance Committee chair shall convene the committee to consider the available information. Appeals will be considered by the College Grievance Committee at the next scheduled monthly meeting after which the appeal is received. If needed, the committee may request more information regarding the situation from you and/or faculty member(s).
• After rendering a decision, the committee will make its recommendation for action, if any, to the Associate Dean in the College of Education.
• Within 15 days of the Grievance Committee's decision, the Associate Dean will notify you, the faculty member(s), and the Department Chair via email regarding the disposition of the grievance.

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the College Grievance Committee, you may choose to appeal the request to the Dean of the College of Education.

• Contact the Dean, in writing, within 15 days of notification of the College Grievance Committee's decision from the Associate Dean. 
• Clearly state the basis for the complaint and the remedy requested, and the date and result of the initial written appeal to the faculty member(s), the date and result of the appeal to the department chair, and the date and result of the appeal to the College Grievance Committee. Submit your written appeal and the following materials in an email to the Associate Dean:
  • a letter of appeal to the Dean;
  • your original written appeal to the faculty member(s), and their written decision;
  • your written appeal to the department chair, and their written decision;
  • your written appeal to the College Grievance Committee, and the notification of their decision from the Associate Dean;
  • any evidence that supports the grievance, such as class syllabi, assignments, and/or statements from other students.
• The Dean has 15 days to provide a written decision to your written appeal. The Dean of the College of Education is the final authority in matters regarding the academic and professional conduct of students.