Student Services Building

Grade Grievance Procedure

STUDENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

The purpose of the E-55 Administrative Regulation is to provide a prompt and equitable means for resolving student(s) grievances. Grade grievances are a common type of complaint under E-55.

"The statute of limitations period for requesting a Grievance Hearing under this regulation is 120 calendar days after the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the grievance; or 120 calendar days after the student learns, or should have learned, that the student has a basis for filing a grievance. Pursuing an informal remedy for a grievance does not relieve the Grievant of the responsibility of requesting a Grievance Hearing within 120 calendar days of the incident giving rise to the grievance."

E-55. Administrative Regulation

When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college district, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student's grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence, shall be final.

The burden of proving mistake, fraud, bad faith and/or incompetence is on the student. Basically, this means that you, the student, must provide the evidence to prove "mistake, fraud, bad faith or incompetence" against the instructor you are grieving.

That's depends on what you are attempting to prove. In most matters, you will need to supply the Grievance Officer with the course syllabus, any email communications you may have had with the instructor surrounding the matter, and any returned student work. (Please see Step 4 below)

Informal Resolution Procedures. The E-55 Administrative Regulation states "All parties involved should be encouraged to seek an informal remedy. Informal meetings and discussion between persons directly involved in a grievance are essential at the outset of the dispute and should be encouraged at all stages. An equitable solution should be sought before persons directly involved in the case have assumed official or public opinions that might tend to polarize the dispute and render a solution more difficult."

Formal Resolution Procedures. The E-55 Administrative Regulation states in part " . . . If there is no informal resolution of the grievance, the student has a right to request a Grievance Hearing."

LET'S GO OVER THE STEPS...

Contact your instructor. If you cannot reach the instructor, contact the department Chair. If you cannot contact the Department Chair, contact the area Dean.

If your grade matter has not been resolved at these levels, you are entitled to file a Statement of Grievance with the campus Ombudperson at Ombuds@WLAC.edu. Please read LACCD Administrative Regulation E-55 (Student Grievance Procedures) to understand the grade grievance process.

Complete and sign the E-55 Form 1 Statement of Grievance and E-55 Form 2 Request for Formal Grievance Hearing.

Go back through your course materials and retrieve the following written materials:

  1. Course outline
  2. All graded papers/quizzes/exams and/or graded Scantrons
  3. Any email communications with the instructor, department chairperson and/or area dean regarding the grade dispute or coursework
  4. Any other written material you deem relevant towards proving your claim

Collect all materials from Steps 3 and 4, put them in an envelope, and contact the campus Ombudsperson. For the fastest response, please use EMAIL: Ombuds@WLAC.edu