Grade issues
A Grade Review/Appeal can be filed when a student has received a transcript grade that they are not satisfied with. Course grade review is done at the end of the course, once the grade has posted on the transcript, and before the midterm of the following semester.
If a student has concerns about a grade that they received on an individual assignment during the current semester, before final grades are posted to their transcript, please contact that instructor to discuss the concern.
Please refer to Parkland College Policy 8.15.03 for more information.
A student utilizing the grade appeal process may not use the Student Grievance hearing process for the same occurrence.
Please be patient. This process can take some time due to many factors and committee schedules. Once a Grade Review/Appeal has been submitted, it can take up to a month for all the steps to be completed. A response will be sent to the student’s email. STEP 1: Determine whether you have a basis for grade review/appeal. If you cannot answer yes to at least one of these questions, your grade is not eligible for review/appeal:
STEP 2: Contact the instructor of the course before midterm of the following semester (excluding summer term) to review how the grade was determined. STEP 3: If meeting with the instructor doesn’t resolve the issue, or you cannot or are unwilling to discuss the issue with the instructor, contact the department office. (You may be directed to a Course Coordinator, a Program Manager/Director, or the Department Chair.)
STEP 4: If the informal review with the department and instructor doesn’t resolve the issue, please contact the division Dean. If the issue cannot be resolved with the division Dean, that Dean can assist the student in beginning the formal grade appeal process before midterm of the following semester. Make sure to be alert for and respond quickly to any requests for additional information or documentation. The division Dean will appoint a committee of faculty members and one student to rule on the appeal.
If the formal grade appeal is complete and you believe the instructor, chair, dean or grade appeal committee did not follow the college’s published policies and procedures in determining the course grade or the grade appeal process, you can file an appeal to the Student Affairs Committee. Contact the Division Dean to initiate Student Affairs appeal. Please be advised, the Student Affairs Committee only reviews whether or not college policy was followed in the course grading policies and/or the appeal; they do not review or weigh in on the grade.
Parkland College's Grade Appeal Process policy can be viewed here in the Policies and Procedures manual.
For additional information, contact academicexceptions@parkland.edu or reach out to your academic advisor.
Students may contact academicexceptions@parkland.edu to request the current form and instructions. Please use your Parkland College student email account when making this request. Students can expect to receive the Academic Record Exclusion form within five school days from the request date. Submit the completed form and all needed documentation to academicexceptions@parkland.edu.
The Exception to Policy Coordinator reviews the submitted material to assure all necessary information and documentation is complete. Incomplete request forms will be returned to students OR the student will receive an email from the coordinator asking for additional information.
Requests, dates, and documentation are reviewed for accuracy. The Exception to Policy Coordinator then forwards the reviewed request to the appropriate division Dean.
NOTE: The entire process from initial submission of the request may take two to five weeks to be completed.
Students who have changed from a transfer program to a career program or from one career program to another career program (A.A.S. degree and career certificate) may request that D and F grades earned in credit hours not required in the new program be excluded from the computation of their cumulative grade point average in the new program. The requested courses must have been required in the previous program and not required in the new career program.This policy does not apply to persons changing from one transfer major to another transfer major or from a career program to a transfer program. Any excluded grades and earned credits remain on the student’s transcript.
Forms to request an individual grade exclusion can be requested by emailing academicexceptions@parkland.edu.
Academic Separation I (formerly Academic Suspension)
Students will be placed on academic separation I if, while on academic notice, their semester grade point average is below 1.75.
The separation will be until the end of the semester (fall or spring) after being placed on separation. Students placed on academic separation I are not permitted to register for any courses.
Academic Separation II (formerly Academic Dismissal)
Students will be placed on academic separation II if, during the term in which they return from separation I, their semester grade point average is below 1.75.
The separation will be for one calendar year. Students placed on academic separation II are not permitted to register for any courses.
More information can be found in the Academic Standing Section of the Parkland Catalog.
Students on academic separation may seek reinstatement when they have completed the mandated period of separation I (one full semester, not including summer) or separation II (one full calendar year).
To complete the process for readmission to course work, the student must do the following:
Failure to follow these steps shows a lack of readiness to pursue academic success and may result in the discontinuation of registration privileges in the future.
Please see the steps for the Process for Appealing or Returning from Academic Separation, Suspension or Dismissal outlined on the Academic Standing Webpage.
Office: U242 Phone: 217/353-2048 Fax: 217/373-3801 deanofstudents@parkland.edu
Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 am-5 pm