Grade Grievances

The Dean of Students office does not oversee grade grievances.  Please contact the academic dean's office within which the school/college the course is housed in order to initiate a grade grievance.

TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS ACT OF 1972 REQUIRES THAT EACH COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ESTABLISH DUE PROCESS FOR THE RESOLUTION OF ACADEMIC GRIEVANCES. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ENROLLED AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL ANY ACADEMIC OR NON-ACADEMIC MATTER IN WHICH THEY FEEL THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY.

While each school and college at Temple University has established and adheres to its own grievance procedure, all have the following steps in common:

  1. Students first attempt resolution through discussion with the instructor.
  2. If agreement can't be reached, students appeal to the chair of the department, specifying the nature of the grievance, the result of the previous discussion, and the resolution sought.
  3. Failing agreement at the department chair level, students may appeal to the Office of the Dean of the College.
  4. When appeals warrant review beyond the school or college, students, faculty members, or the dean's office may appeal to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies.

Details may vary from school to school including the involvement of a student-ombudsperson; the constitution of grievance hearing committees, which may be a part of either step two or three; and time limits, both for students' filing and for the administrative response.

For further information on academic grievance procedures, students should inquire in their dean's office, with an advisor, or with the student-ombudsperson in the relevant school.