The following procedure is available to resolve academic grievances regarding grading, course requirements, attendance, academic integrity, and other academically related complaints.

The student must submit the academic grievance within (10) university calendar days, of the next semester of the academic calendar (fall or spring) in which the grievance takes place.  The student must accompany the appeal with a clear, succinct statement and compelling evidence that there are legitimate grounds for the appeal. All supportive documentation/evidence must accompany the grievance/appeal. The following steps (1-4) of the Grievance/Appeal Procedure must be followed in sequence.

Step 1.  Faculty Member: The student must submit in writing, (NJCU email or certified mail) a request for a meeting with the faculty member involved to resolve the situation in question, this meeting must take place within (10) university calendar days of the subsequent semester of the involved grievance (fall or spring). At the conclusion of the meeting the faculty member will inform the student of a decision in writing.

Step 2.  Department Chairperson:  The Student must submit in writing (NJCU email or certified mail) a written appeal to the appropriate department chairperson within ten (10) university calendar days of notification of a decision pursuant to the previous step (Faculty Member) or upon failure of the faculty member to respond within the prescribed ten (10) university calendar days.

Step 3.  Academic Dean: The student must submit in writing (NJCU email or certified mail) a written appeal to the appropriate academic dean within ten (10) university calendar days of notification of a decision pursuant to the previous step (Chairperson). The appropriate dean shall provide the student with a written decision within ten (10) university calendar days of receipt of the appeal from Step 2.

Step 4. University Senate Students Affairs Committee: The student must submit in writing, (NJCU email or certified mail) a written appeal to the University Senate Student Affairs Committee within ten (10) university calendar days of notification of a decision pursuant to the previous step 3, (Academic Dean).

Grievances that are not resolved at the dean’s level may be referred to the Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate for review and decision, which will be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for final decision.

The Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate shall deal with student grievances involving grading, course requirements, attendance, academic integrity, and other academically related complaints after Steps 1-4 above have been exhausted.  The committee shall include at least one faculty or professional staff member from each of the colleges and one student.  The Vice President of Student Affairs or Associate Vice President of Student Affairs will serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of this Committee. The Committee may choose to invite parties involved to meet with the committee to present their positions or to proceed on the written record generated from the appeal process detailed above.

Within (20) twenty university calendar days of receipt of a written appeal from a student, the committee shall (a) determine that the appeal has basis in fact; (b) inform the complainant of the legal and administrative limitations of the committee in resolving grievances; and (c) determine that all normal avenues of appeal resolution, between the parties involved, and the applicable department chairperson and dean, have been exhausted. It shall provide notice of its decision, made on a review and advise basis, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who renders a final decision within thirty (30) university calendar days of receiving the Student Affairs Committee’s recommendation.

Final Appeal:

Only cases that result in expulsion may be appealed to the President. In these cases, the decision of the President is final and there is no further recourse at the University. The charged student will have ten (10) university calendar-days from the date of the decision by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to file an appeal with the Presi­dent of the University. All appeals must be in writing. In cases resulting in expulsion, the President of the University shall render a final decision within twenty (20) calendar-days of receiving the appeal.    

Expedited Timeline:  An expedited timeline (20 university calendar days) will be in effect if the Academic Grievance/Appeal Process affects the student’s graduation status.  This timeline is defined as the entire procedure as completed within 20 university calendar days following the posting of the Spring Grades. Each step (1-4) of the Academic Grievance procedure will be followed except each step will be allotted (5) university calendar days.

Acknowledgements
New Jersey City University gratefully acknowledges excerpted materials from other universities that were utilized when formulating this policy:

• Kean University
• Montclair University
• Rutgers University
• William Paterson University
• Thomas Edison University
• Ramapo University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Stockton University
• Fairleigh Dickinson University