6.2.13 Student Academic Grievance Board (F, S)
Approved (before 1980) by Academic Council, Revised October 14, 2004
Introduction
To protect a student against prejudiced or capricious academic practices or examination, principles of due process for academic grievances must be assured.
To this end, the University of the Pacific establishes the Student Academic Grievance Board, which shall hear all cases relating to academic grievances for undergraduate and professional students on the Stockton campus of the University.
In addition, students shall be assisted through the process by a Student Advocate and Faculty Advocate.
Board Membership and Staff
The Student Academic Grievance Board shall be comprised of three faculty members nominated by the Professional Relations Committee and approved by the Academic Council to serve three-year staggered terms and three students appointed by the President of ASUOP to serve one-year terms. The Director of Judicial Affairs or their designee shall convene the Board and ensure that due process rights are protected. Individuals may be reappointed to the committee, but for no more than four consecutive terms.
The Faculty Advocate shall be appointed for a two-year term by the Chair of the Academic Council and the Student Advocate shall be appointed annually by the ASUOP President. The school affiliation of the Faculty Advocate shall rotate with each new term. Students may be reappointed to the Student Advocate position.
Further, the Professional Relations Committee shall nominate and the Academic Council shall approve two members of the faculty to serve three-year staggered terms as alternates to the Student Academic Grievance Board.
The Chair of the Academic Council shall appoint a third member of the faculty to serve as an alternate Faculty Advocate for a two-year term.
The ASUOP President shall annually appoint two students to serve as alternates to the Student Academic Grievance Board and a third student to serve as alternate Student Advocate. These individuals shall be called upon to serve in the Academic Grievance Process in the event that one of the standing members of the Board or one of the Advocates has a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest.
In addition, both the instructor and the student shall have the right to one preemptory challenge of a member of the Board and the Advocate team.
Any individual challenged shall be temporarily replaced by an advocate.
Focus of the Proceedings
Grievances must be based on objectively demonstrable evidence regarding an instructor’s academic practices.
The grievance procedure is primarily intended to address unfair evaluation.
However, under unusual circumstances other matters such as exclusion from a final examination, refusal of permission to drop a course, refusal to allow a make-up examination or the refusal of a paper may be considered.
Issues relating to academic dishonesty and other violations of the University’s Honor Code and Student Code of Conduct are separate from the Student Academic Grievance Board.
Students are encouraged to keep all documents related to the course, including syllabi, exams, homework assignments, notes, etc. until the grievance has been resolved.