Students may appeal a final grade for one or more of the following reasons:
- Procedural or clerical error by the instructor that had a negative impact on the student’s grade
- The grading being arbitrary, capricious, or outside accepted norms, with resultant negative impact on the student’s grade. Possible examples: work is graded differently than stated in the rubric; final grades are calculated with a different method than stated on the syllabus, etc.
- The evaluation was of a different standard than that required of other students in the class, resulting in a negative impact on the student’s grade. Possible examples: some students were permitted to submit late work without penalty, and others were not; extra credit opportunities were provided to some, but not all students, etc.
If the student believes that the grade received is based upon discrimination, harassment, or related retaliation, as defined and prohibited by Drake policy, the student should initiate the complaint process set forth in the related policy: Non-Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy (Non-Sex-Based), or Sexual Harassment Policy.
Students must provide sufficient evidence to support how their appeal meets one or more of the grounds for appeal, and the inability to provide this evidence may result in dismissal of the appeal. To be clear, students may not appeal the final grade on the grounds that they disagree with the professional judgment of the instructor as to the quality of the students’ performance or work or whether they met course standards.
It is expected that most, if not all, appeals will be resolved between the student and their instructor. If an agreement is not reached between the instructor and the student, the appeal may be escalated to the Associate Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication to investigate the allegations and give an outcome. To escalate the matter, students must submit in writing their name, contact information, a description of the circumstances, and the current outcome. Email or hard copy correspondence will be accepted. If, after working with the Associate Dean, the student chooses to appeal the matter a third and final time, the student should contact the Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, providing the same level of detail described above. Please note: If an agreement between the parties involved occurs at any step of the appeals process, the appeal has concluded, and the grade may not be appealed again. A sample timeline is shared below, showing the maximum number of business days allowed for each step in the appeals process.
All officially documented issues will be forwarded to the provost’s office for data collection to report general trends, not as an avenue to change the outcome.
Example (days are business days):
| Steps in Appeal | Student Appeal | Instructor Response | Student Appeal | Associate Dean's Response | Student Appeal | Dean's Response | Instructor Appeal of Dean's Decision | Dean's Response |
| Maximum Days | 10 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days | 5 Days |
Student Affairs Complaint Procedures
The purpose of the Student Complaint procedure is to provide Drake students a clear and rational process to follow if there are complaints about a particular individual or department in the Division of Student Affairs. The departments in Student Affairs include the following:
- Dean of Students Office
- Community Standards
- Greek Life
- Counseling Center*
- Health Center
- Residence Life
- Student Inclusion, Involvement & Leadership
- Student Life Center (SLC)
- Student Organizations
Students have the right at any time to file a complaint against another student, staff, faculty, or department when she or he believes they were mistreated or when they feel their rights were violated. These procedures are designed to support students as they encounter certain challenges and obstacles while pursuing their studies at Drake University.
Students are encouraged to address their concerns as soon as possible through an informal process by contacting the department or the individuals directly involved. In some cases what is perceived to be a wrong doing is often an issue of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Therefore, students are encouraged to informally speak with the individuals involved if possible. We recognize that there may be situations in which an official complaint should be filed.
If students are unable to resolve their concerns through an Informal Complaint Procedure, students are then encouraged to file a Formal Complaint by emailing Jerry Parker, Vice President & Dean of Students.
Drake University is committed to fair and ethical principles, practices, and conduct in all business and academic relationships. The University’s trustees, officers, faculty, and staff are expected to model the highest standards of ethical behavior and stewardship. To facilitate and protect this commitment, the University has contracted with EthicsPoint to manage a confidential hotline that provides an anonymous way to report situations that may constitute financial misconduct or violations of local, state, or federal law or University policies.
The Dean of Students Office serves as an advocate for all students, and any student wishing to express concerns about their Drake experience should contact the Dean of Students Office at (515) 271-2835.
*Students wishing to file complaints with the Student Counseling Center will need to sign an information release at the Broadlawns Drake Community Clinic (2970 University Ave.).