Student Handbook

When a student’s behavior in a class is disruptive to a degree that immediate action is warranted, the faculty member has the authority to have the student removed from the class on an interim basis. Faculty should contact University police should they anticipate physical defiance. A student who has been removed from a class on an interim basis is entitled to an informal hearing before the head of the department offering the course. The department head may either:

1. Approve an agreement of expectations between the student and the faculty member and reinstate the student to the class, or
2. Extend the removal of the student from the class and refer the case to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (SCCE) for review and resolution. A copy of all material sent to the Office of Student Conduct should be provided to the faculty’s academic Dean (or their designee) and to the student’s academic Dean (or their designee).

When a student’s conduct requires immediate removal from the class, the following steps are required:

1. The faculty member responsible for the class or activity where the alleged disruptive behavior occurred will inform the student that the behavior is inappropriate. The faculty member will describe to the student specific changes needed in the student’s behavior. The student will be provided an opportunity to modify their behavior in accordance with the changes identified. The faculty member will provide the student with a written, dated summary of the discussion with the student, and the faculty member will retain a copy of this summary.
2. If a student believes the faculty’s expectations are unreasonable, the student may confer with the faculty member’s department head about this matter. The department head may choose to support the guidelines developed by the faculty, or the student may work with the faculty member to develop a modified set of expectations. If there are changes in the faculty member’s original set of expectations, the department head will provide a dated and signed copy to both the student and the instructor.
3. Should classroom conduct issues continue, the faculty member will apprise the faculty member’s department head of the situation and will share with the department head a written summary of discussions held with the student. The department head may initiate an additional discussion with the faculty member and/or the student. If the department head concurs with the faculty member’s view that the problem has not been resolved, the situation may be referred to the SCCE Office. A memorandum briefly describing the student’s behavior, as well as a copy of the written summary of the faculty’s discussion with the student and any other related material, should be forwarded to the SCCE Office for review. A copy of all material sent to the SCCE Office should be provided to the faculty member’s academic Dean (or their designee) and to the student’s academic Dean (or their designee).

Academic Grade Changes & Appeals

Faculty members are responsible for determining course curricula, for developing appropriate methods of evaluating student learning, for evaluating fairly, for upholding academic standards, and for enforcing procedures concerning academic honesty.  Decisions made by faculty members regarding the quality or integrity of student work, including decisions about course grades, are presumed to be fair and final (unless the student files a successful grade appeal).  In cases of academic violation students may be subject to both grade sanctions and disciplinary action (see Student Violations of Academic Integrity below). Faculty members are required to report acts of academic violation to their chair, their Dean, the Provost, the Honor Council (through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement), and the Vice President for Student Engagement.

As outlined in the University Course Policies, faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If the students believes that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using the grade appeal process as described below and in the Faculty Handbook.

Grade sanctions may be imposed only by faculty members . Academic suspension or expulsion may be imposed only by the Provost. As with disputes about course grades, students may appeal grade sanctions imposed for academic violation only by following the procedure outlined below. Students should not attempt to persuade academic administrators to change a grade; they cannot and will not do it unless a student follows the grade appeal policy below and is successful in persuading either the faculty member for the course or an ad-hoc committee of faculty members that a change is warranted.

Student appeals of faculty academic decisions should be completed within 15 University business days after the student’s first meeting with the faculty member to question the faculty member’s decision.

1. The student must first meet with the faculty member and discuss the faculty member’s decision.  This meeting should occur as soon as possible after the decision has been made, normally within one week of the student being notified of the decision.  The faculty member is expected to listen to the student, provide an explanation for the decision, and change the grade or decision if the student’s argument is persuasive. To change final course grades, a faculty member must submit a “Grade Change Form” and attach an accompanying memorandum justifying the decision to change the grade.  The faculty member’s department chair and Dean must approve the change.
2. If the faculty member declines to change the decision or grade, the student may then discuss the matter with the faculty member’s immediate academic supervisor (hereafter, “chair” will be used to mean either the department chair or the immediate academic supervisor).  If the chair believes that the student’s position has merit, the chair will discuss the matter with the faculty member.
3. If the student is not satisfied with the chair’s assessment of the issue or if the faculty member declines to change the decision after discussing it with the chair, the student may then request that an ad hoc committee of faculty members review the matter.  This committee consists of three tenured faculty members within the same discipline or department, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. If the chair determines that a tenured faculty member cannot be selected from the same discipline or department, then the chair may add a tenured faculty member from a closely related discipline.  From the pool of eligible tenured faculty members designated by the chair, the faculty member, the student, and the chair will each nominate one faculty member to serve on the committee.
4. The ad hoc committee will hear from the student, the faculty member, and the chair and examine relevant documents. If the committee sustains the faculty member’s decision, the committee will provide the student with a written statement explaining the reasons for the committee’s decision. The student may request in writing that the committee reconsiders its decision and provides reasons for so doing.  If the committee refuses to reconsider or if it reaffirms its original recommendation, the faculty member’s original decision is final.  If the committee finds in favor of the student, the committee will provide the faculty member with a written recommendation explaining the committee’s reasons. If the faculty member disagrees with the committee’s recommendation, the faculty member may request that the committee reconsiders its recommendation and provides the committee with a rationale for revisiting the recommendation.  If after considering the faculty member’s rationale the ad hoc committee is still persuaded that the faculty member’s original decision should be reversed, the committee will recommend in writing to the chair that the faculty member’s decision be overturned. The committee may also make this recommendation to the chair if the faculty member fails to alter the original decision and also fails to respond to the committee’s original recommendation.  The faculty member will receive a copy of the recommendation to the chair, allowing a final opportunity to revise the original decision.  If the faculty member fails to comply, the chair may override the faculty member’s original decision, and, as appropriate, revise the student’s course grade.  In order to certify that the grade dispute process outlined above has been followed appropriately, the Dean of the College or the School and the Provost will review all decisions by chairs to change grades against the will of a faculty member.

The student may appeal the Academic Suspension to the Dean of the college/school, or the Dean’s designee, in which the student is pursuing a degree by submitting a petition for academic reinstatement and a student self-assessment. If the petition is approved, the student will be permitted to enroll under continued suspension. Prior to enrolling, the returning student must meet with the Dean to develop an academic improvement plan. The Dean (or their designee) will meet with the student throughout the semester to monitor the student’s progress in meeting established goals and determine appropriate subsequent actions.

Student Grievances Against a Faculty Member

Conflicts or concerns with faculty that are unrelated to academic issues and unrelated to discrimination, harassment, or related retaliation based on a protected class are considered grievances. (For grievances alleging discrimination, harassment, or related retaliation based on a protected class, refer to Article 3 in this handbook.)

Before a grievance is filed, the student must make a good faith effort to meet with the faculty to seek an informal resolution. The student may also consult with the faculty member’s department chair or dean. If unable to meet with the faculty member or if the meeting does not produce a resolution, the student may initiate a grievance by following the steps outlined below.

1. The student will file a written complaint via the TAMIU Report It form available at https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit/. The form will be shared with the faculty member’s department chair and dean, the Provost, Vice President for Student Engagement, and the Office of Human Resources (resolution form only).  Other University personnel with a legitimate right to know will also receive a copy of the incident report, if required.
2. The faculty member’s department chair will send, within five University business days after receiving the grievance, a written notice to the student that the complaint has been received.
3. The student and faculty member will meet with the faculty member’s department chair within five University business days of the notice of receipt.
4. If the grievance remains unresolved after meeting with the department chair, then within five University business days of the meeting with the chair, both the student and the faculty member will meet with either the dean of the respective college (or academic administrator to whom the chair reports). 
5. If the complaint remains unresolved after that meeting, it will then be heard within five University business days by an ad hoc committee consisting of the faculty member’s department chair, the Director of SCCE (or their designee), and a faculty member or administrator selected by the student.  The chair of the committee will be the Director of SCCE (or their designee). After hearing from the student and the faculty member, and considering any documentation has been provided, the ad hoc committee will make its recommendation in writing to the Provost. This will occur within five University business days after the committee concludes its deliberations.
6. Within five University business days after receiving the ad hoc committee’s deliberation, the Provost will notify in writing both parties of the final decision.
7. Deadlines for each aforementioned step in the process may be revised should extenuating circumstances justify doing so.