Chapter 6: Appendix
APPENDIX L.
Academic Responsibilities and Academic Grievance Policy
PART
I. Faculty, Staff, and Student Academic Responsibilities
SECTION 06L.101
It is the responsibility of faculty, staff, and students to create an academic
community that is free from all forms of prejudice that negatively influence learning,
such as those based on age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical impairment,
race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. All faculty, staff, and
students should treat one another with courtesy and respect.
SECTION 06L.102 Statement of
Good Teaching Practices
Every instructor is responsible for:
A. Informing his or her students within the first two weeks of the course of
the objectives, content, assignments, policy on return of student work, and examination
procedure in each course and, within reason, abiding by those statements;
B. Specifying in writing within the first two weeks of the course the methods
by which the instructor determines the final grade in the course;
C. Ensuring that all materials assigned are equally available to all students
in the course;
D. Informing students of the generally accepted conclusion on the subject matter
of the course when those conclusions differ from the conclusions of the instructor;
E. Giving adequate advance notice of major papers and major examinations in
the course;
F. Providing assignments to permit students to benefit from evaluative experiences
during the course;
G. Being fair and impartial in evaluating all student performances, i.e., evaluating
all students according to common criteria;
H. Allowing students to review papers and examinations in a timely manner after
those papers and examinations have been evaluated.
I. Making himself or herself available for conferences during announced, regular
office hours;
J. Treating students with courtesy and respect at all times. Courtesy and respect
do not prohibit strong criticism directed at the student's academic errors and
scholarly responsibilities.
K. Endeavoring to ensure that the learning environment is free from all forms
of prejudice that negatively influence student learning, such as those based
on age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical impairment, race, religion, sexual
orientation, or gender identity.
L. Adhering to the "Class Attendance Policy" (Part VII of Chapter
1 Undergraduate Academic Regulations in this Student Handbook).
M. Adhering to the "Statement on Professional Ethics" of the Miami
University Policy and Information Manual: As teachers, professors encourage
the free pursuit of learning in students. Teachers exemplify the best scholarly
standards of their disciplines. They demonstrate respect for students as individuals
and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors
make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure
that their evaluations of students reflect students' true merit. Faculty members
respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student.
They avoid any exploitation of students for their private advantage and acknowledge
significant assistance from them. Professors protect their academic freedom.
No faculty member shall be obliged to make the academic work of students available
for inspection by any third party in the absence of compulsory legal process
without bona fide academic reasons or without the express written consent of
the student.
N. Assuming the positive obligation to confront students of suspected academic
dishonesty.
SECTION 06L.103 Statement
of Student Responsibilities
The Divisional Academic Appeals Boards, in adjudicating any academic grievances,
will take note of the following minimum standards of student responsibility.
A. Attending class in accordance with University regulations (Part VII of Chapter
1 Undergraduate Academic Regulations);
B. Being attentive during class, and participating constructively in class
discussions;
C. Doing the work assigned in each course to the best of his or her ability,
and submitting it on time;
D. Showing respect for instructors and fellow students at all times;
E. Abiding by University regulations prohibiting academic misconduct (see Part
V of Chapter 1 Undergraduate Academic Regulations);
F. Endeavoring to ensure that the learning environment is free from all forms
of prejudice that negatively influence student learning, such as those based
on age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical impairment, race, religion, sexual
orientation, or gender identity.
PART II. Academic
Grievance Procedure at Miami University
SECTION 06L.201 06L.201.A. Each academic department has a specific departmental
grievance procedure meant to facilitate the adjudication of most student grievances
at the departmental level.
06L.201.B. Divisional academic appeals boards have jurisdiction limited
to classroom relations between individual students and instructors as specified
in the Statement of Good Teaching Practices (see Section 06L.102).
SECTION 06L.202 Academic Grievance
Procedure
06L.202.A. A goal of the grievance procedure should be to effect a reconciliation
between instructor and student.
06L.202.B. Any student has the right to question a grade he or she has
received, but the student should recognize the difference between questioning
a grade and charging an instructor with a violation of the Statement of Good Teaching
Practices. The latter is a serious act and should neither be undertaken lightly
nor should the desire to have a grade reviewed and changed be the primary motivation.
202.B.1. A student initiating a grievance procedure should be aware that the
University Senate has ruled that the final determination of a student's grade
remains with the instructor, regardless of the outcome of any appeal procedure.
While most instructors will consent to being advised by their colleagues and may
change the student's grade on advice from a review committee, they cannot be compelled
to do so by any authority in the University.
202.B.2. In all cases the student should first meet with the instructor to voice
a complaint and to receive an explanation and possible redress. If the student
is not satisfied with the explanation, he or she should confer with the chair
of the department and ask for a review of the grade through the departmental grievance
procedure. The student must at that time ask either for a grade review or may,
additionally, charge the instructor with a violation of the Statement of Good
Teaching Practices. If the student asks only for a grade review, the review of
the grade will be handled within the department and the final decision will be
made according to the departmental procedures.
202.B.3. Formal grievances against instructors for violation of the Statement
of Good Teaching Practices must be presented in terms of the provisions of that
Statement. Student charges must cite specific violations of specific provisions
of the Statement, identified by number as well as by the wording of the accusation.
Students should also note that basic issues of contractual obligation and competence
are not covered by the Statement of Good Teaching Practices, and that issues related
to instruction not covered by the Statement should be discussed with the department
chair, the academic coordinator, the regional campus dean, or their designees.
202.B.4. A student who is charging a faculty member with a violation of the
Statement of Good Teaching Practices shall first utilize the departmental grievance
procedure. If he or she feels that his or her grievance has not been properly
adjudicated, he or she should request a conference with the divisional dean. In
addition, in an effort to resolve a grievance short of a formal appeal the regional
campus students are encouraged to seek a conference with the academic coordinator
and/or the regional campus dean.
06L.202.C. If the student wishes to appeal the decision beyond the departmental
level, the student may submit to the divisional grievance committee a written,
dated, and signed complaint stating the name of the instructor, the course, the
provision(s) of the Good Teaching Practices alleged to have been violated, a brief
description of the incident(s) giving rise to the grievance, and the remedy requested.
The student should also provide any materials supportive of the complaint. Within
ten working days after receiving this written complaint from the student, the
divisional dean will request the chair of the Divisional Academic Appeals Board
to convene a committee to consider and investigate the complaint, and to make
its recommendations to the instructor within 30 working days after receiving the
complaint.
06L.202.D. A divisional grievance committee will not adjudicate a violation
of Good Teaching Practices unless the written complaint is lodged before 5 p.m.
Friday of the eleventh week of the fall or spring semester that follows the term
in which the alleged violation occurred.
06L.202.E. The Divisional Academic Appeals Board will be constituted as follows:
202.E.1. At the beginning of each academic year each divisional dean will request
every academic department within the division to choose from among its members,
with the approval of the department chair, one representative and one alternate
to serve as members of the Divisional Academic Appeals Board for that year.
202.E.2. The dean of the division will appoint one of the department representatives
as chair of the Divisional Academic Appeals Board for the academic year, and one
as a vice-chair.
06L.202.F. It will be the responsibility of the chair of each Divisional
Academic Appeals Board:
202.F.1. To appoint, on receipt of a written complaint from a student to the
dean, a committee of five (5) members, appropriate to the case in question, consisting
of the chair of the Divisional Academic Appeals Board as chair and four (4) representatives
from departments related to the discipline in which the complaint originates (including,
where appropriate or necessary, representatives from outside the division). No
member of the department of the instructor against whom the complaint has been
made may be a member of the grievance committee.
202.F.2. To convene the committee to consider the grievance and to preside over
the hearing.
202.F.3. To inform the student that the burden of proof rests with the student
and that he or she may attend the hearings (excluding executive sessions) and
be accompanied by counsel if the student so desires.
202.F.4. To inform the instructor, when the committee decides to consider a
case, that a grievance has been received by the committee, and provide the instructor
with a full bill of particulars regarding the grievance and its supporting evidence;
to request from the instructor in writing information germane to the case; to
inform the instructor that he or she may attend the hearings (excluding executive
sessions) and be accompanied by counsel if the instructor so desires.
202.F.5. To call for formal recommendations from the committee after consideration
of the complaint, with majority vote of the members of the committee required
for approval of each recommendation.
202.F.6. To maintain communication with the chairs of all other Divisional Academic
Appeals Boards in order to insure equity and consistency among the divisions in
the adjudicating of grievances.
202.F.7. To fulfill the responsibilities listed in Section 06L.202.G below.
202.F.8. To keep accurate minutes and records of all hearings, including all
written documents submitted as evidence, in a confidential file in the Office
of the Secretary of the University, each file subject to review only by the chair
of the Academic Appeals Board of the division in which the grievance was heard.
202.F.9. If for any reason the chair is unable to fulfill his or her responsibilities
or to serve as chair of a grievance committee, the vice-chair shall fulfill these
functions. Appointees shall excuse themselves in the event of potential conflict
of interest.
06L.202.G. It will be the responsibility of a Divisional Appeals Committee:
202.G.1. To determine, prior to considering any case, whether frank and full
discussions between the student, instructor, department chair, and dean have been
exhausted as a means of resolving the grievance. If not, the case shall be referred
back to the instructor, chair, or dean as appropriate.
202.G.2. To determine, when hearings are required, the most appropriate procedures
to be followed.
202.G.3. To hold hearings to determine the fact (such hearings open to the student
and the instructor and their respective counsels with the exception of executive
sessions), and to determine, by majority vote of the committee, recommendations
as outlined in Section 06L.202.H below.
06L.202.H. Committee Recommendations
202.H.1. If the committee finds that no violation of the Good Teaching Practices
has occurred, or that a violation has occurred but recommends that no redress
is warranted, these findings will be reported by the committee chair, in writing,
to the student and the instructor with copies sent to the department chair and
dean. In addition, a notation of this finding may be made in the student's permanent
record file.
202.H.2. If the committee finds that a violation of the Good Teaching Practices
has occurred and recommends any form of redress for the student, these recommendations
should be reported by the chair of the committee, in writing, to the instructor
with a copy sent to the student. The instructor will be expected to inform the
committee chair of his or her compliance or noncompliance with the recommendations
within ten working days after the letter of notification has been sent to the
instructor (failure to respond within ten working days will be taken to indicate
noncompliance).
a. If the instructor complies with the recommendations, the student will be
informed in writing, by the committee chair, with copies to the department chair
and dean.
b. If the instructor indicates noncompliance with the recommendations, copies
of the recommendations and of the instructor's reply will be sent to the student
and to the department chair and dean. All documents regarding academic grievances
and requests for grade review shall be placed in the department's student complaint
file.
PART III. Publishing of Statements
SECTION 06L.301
The Statement of Good Teaching Practices, Professional Ethics, and the Statement
of Student Responsibilities will be mailed to faculty at the beginning of each
academic year and/or will be published in The Miami Student and The
Miami University Report.
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