Student Rights and Appeals

What rights do students have?

If an instructor alleges a student’s involvement in academic misconduct, students have the right to a fair process including:

1. The right to be notified: Students will receive notification of the allegation after an instructor reports it to the Provost. The instructor is not required to notify the student(s) before making this report.
2. The right to receive a copy of the documentation or other evidence supporting the allegation.
3. The right to be heard: Students have the right to appeal an alleged violation of the academic integrity policy.

Students do not have the ability to:

1. Appeal the severity of the imposed sanctions: All sanctions are imposed based on cumulative points and the Academic Integrity Sanctions Rubric.
2. Appeal violations due to intention: Students should accept responsibility if their actions violated the academic integrity policy, regardless of whether or not the violation was “intentional.”
3. Appeal violations based on ignorance: Arguments of “I didn’t know” are irrelevant, as students are afforded numerous opportunities to undergo academic integrity training. Students also are responsible for reading and understanding the terms of their course syllabi and any policies published in the academic catalog..
4. Bring legal representation to any appeals committee meeting.

How does the appeals process work?

Students who wish to appeal an academic integrity violation must do so within five calendar days of the Provost’s written notice or risk waiving their right to appeal. For further details, see paragraphs three and four above under “Violation Penalties and Procedures.”

In order to appeal the allegation,

1. A student must submit a written letter of appeal to the Provost. Students may ask the Student Enrichment Center for assistance in crafting their letter of appeal.
2. Upon receipt of an appeals letter, the Provost will acknowledge its receipt with a copy to the instructor. The instructor will have the opportunity to write a letter of response, of which the student will receive a copy.
3. Both letters will be forwarded to the university Appeals Committee, who will meet to consider all facts presented in both letters. If a majority of the members or the chair of the committee feels as though any party needs to be present at an appeal meeting, then both parties will be afforded the opportunity to appear. The individuals will not be required to discuss the violation or the appeal in front of one another. The committee will deliberate in closed session. All decisions are made by majority vote unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws of the university.

Suggestions for your letter of appeal:

1. Be focused and clear. Present the truth and facts as you know them. Appeals letters should be based on one of the following simple premises:
   1. “I didn’t cheat or give/receive inappropriate assistance.”
   2. “I didn’t commit plagiarism.”
   3. “I didn’t lie or provide false information.”
   4. “I didn’t commit the violation alleged.”
   5. “The work constituted less than 10% of the assignment or less than 10% of the overall course grade.” 
2. Stick to information that is relevant to the incident rather than including your life story and past examples of your character. Good people make bad decisions all the time, so your character is not in question. Rather, the only question is whether you violated the BPCU Academic Integrity Policy.
3. Do not be confrontational, rude, or insulting to the professor or university. Such action is more likely to hurt than help you.
4. Remember that the university Appeals Committee is not a legal hearing but simply an opportunity for you to tell the truth and report the facts. The Committee is not bound by the same procedural or evidentiary rules as courts of law.
5. Alleged violators may not be represented by legal counsel or any type of advocate at an Appeals Committee hearing.

The Appeals Committee

Student Rights & Grade Appeal Procedures

Students have the right to appeal final course grades after they have been posted in the university’s official gradebook, MyWeb. The university utilizes both an informal and a formal process for grade appeals.

Procedure for Informal Resolution

1. The student should first discuss the matter directly with the instructor and make a reasonable effort to resolve the issue. The student must begin such an informal resolution process within seven calendar days of the release of final course grades.
2. If the student is uncomfortable trying to resolve the issue directly with the instructor, the student should request informal resolution by the Division Chair. If the instructor is the Division Chair, then the student should request informal resolution by the Provost. This step must begin within seven calendar days of the release of final course grades. The Division Chair nor the Provost plays a decision-making role; rather, he or she facilitates a resolution when possible.

Procedure for Formal Resolution

If no resolution is reached with the instructor, a student may initiate a formal appeal with the Provost.

1. In order to complete a formal grade appeal, a student must submit a Grade Appeal Form to the Provost within seven calendar days of the close of the informal resolution process. Students may ask the SEC professional staff for assistance in completing their appeal (not peer tutors).
2. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Provost will acknowledge its receipt with a copy to the instructor. The instructor will have the opportunity to write a letter of response, of which the student will receive a copy.
3. Both letters will be forwarded to the university Appeals Committee, who will meet to consider all facts presented in both letters. If the committee feels as though any party needs to be present at an appeal meeting, then both parties will be afforded the opportunity to appear. The individuals will not be required to discuss the appeal in front of one another. The committee will deliberate in closed session. All decisions are made by majority vote unless otherwise noted.

The Grade Appeal Form serves to remind students that an appeal must contain the following information:

1. The course number, name, instructor, and the letter grade which the student is appealing;
2. The basis for the student’s appeal;
3. A statement of the remedy the student is seeking;
4. Evidence to support the basis for appeal, such as, but not limited to
   1. Syllabus information
   2. Assignment instructions
   3. Assignment evaluations
   4. Evidence of student attempts to contact an instructor outside of the classroom prior to the grade appeal e.
   5. Information on when and with whom the student attempted an informal resolution.
5. Incomplete Grade Appeal Forms will be returned to the student to be corrected before being forwarded to the university Appeals Committee.

Student Rights & Non-Academic Appeal Procedures

The university Appeals Committee also will hear appeals of disciplinary, financial, and other matters designated by the President. [Appeals of persons denied admission to the university will be dealt with by the Admissions Committee.]

Appeals of non-academic matters are a safeguard against errors or unfairness. Students may appeal the determination of responsibility, the sanction(s) imposed, or both. A written letter of appeal must be submitted to the Provost within seven calendar days of the time the student was notified of the action. Appeals must be based on one or more of the following:

1. Significant new information not available at the time of the original decision
2. Evidence that the person who made the original decision
   1. Refused to hear all witnesses brought forward by the student,
   2. Applied rules not actually in effect,
   3. Did not give fair process to the student,
   4. Did not follow the rules as set in place in the Brewton-Parker Christian University Student Handbook and Academic Catalog,
   5. Made a decision that is contrary to or disregarded entirely the evidence that was presented, or
   6. Made a decision that was biased.
3. Evidence that the action taken was excessive for the charge made against the student

General Policies Regarding Academic Integrity and Other Appeals

In counting the deadlines specified in the Academic Integrity and Appeals policies “calendar days” shall include official university holidays, breaks, and weekends; however, if the last day of a deadline falls on one of these, then the delay will be extended to the next work day (Mon.-Fri). The Provost shall have discretion to waive or extend any such deadline under circumstances that warrant an exception.

Within seven calendar days from notice of an adverse decision by the university Appeals Committee and upon presentation of new evidence unavailable at the time of the appeal, an aggrieved student may petition the Provost for further review and/or for a rehearing of the committee’s decision. Such petition must be in writing and submitted to the Provost by email. Upon receipt of a petition for final review, the Provost has full discretion to grant or deny the request, amend or vacate the committee’s decision, or remand the case for further consideration by the committee. Such review or rehearing is a discretionary appeal of last resort, after which a student has no further recourse under Brewton-Parker Christian University policy.

After all avenues of redress afforded by the university’s published policies and procedures have been exhausted, if a student feels that a fair and reasonable resolution was not achieved, students hereby also are advised of their right to file a complaint with the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC). A copy of the “GNPEC Authorized School Complaint Form” may be found on the agency’s web site at http://gnpec.org.

Academic Bankruptcy

Students who have earned very poor grades in one term of attendance due to extreme personal or financial difficulties may petition the university Appeals Committee for Academic Bankruptcy status for that one term. The bankruptcy term will be so designated on students’ permanent records. Work attempted during that term will not be considered in calculating grade point averages at Brewton-Parker Christian University, but it will remain on the permanent record. Students are cautioned that many colleges and universities will not honor another institution’s bankruptcy policy, nor may certain medical, law, or graduate institutions.

1. At any point in students’ university careers while enrolled at Brewton-Parker Christian University students may request Academic Bankruptcy for one term of attendance.
2. The request will be made to the university Appeals Committee.
3. The burden is on the student to demonstrate to the university Appeals Committee that the particular term for which bankruptcy is petitioned was an extraordinary case.
4. If the university Appeals Committee approves the petition for bankruptcy, students forfeit credit for all courses in which they enrolled that term, and grades for that term are not used in computing the grade point averages, although they do remain on the permanent record. The permanent record will indicate clearly that Academic Bankruptcy was granted.
5. If students have been issued notification of academic suspension, Academic Bankruptcy cannot be claimed until fulfillment of the suspension and such students are again enrolled at Brewton-Parker Christian University.
6. Once bankruptcy status has been granted, the action is irreversible.