Appeals and Grievances
Grievances and requests for exceptions to University policies and requirements may be filed with specific committees authorized to deal with specific student concerns.
Academic Appeals Board
This board hears appeals from students who claim to have received prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation and makes recommendations on cases to the Provost. In such cases the student should first consult with the instructor. If the grievance is not resolved, the student should then contact the department chair, then the dean of the college or school. If the grievance is still not resolved, the student may then appeal by writing a letter to the Academic Appeals Board. Appeals may be filed in the Office of Dean of Student Life, 433 Smith Memorial Student Union.
Academic Requirements Committee (ARC)
The ARC is a subcommittee of the PSU Faculty Senate and is responsible for developing policies and adjudicating petitions regarding academic regulations related to credit loads, transfer credit, degree and certificate requirements for all undergraduate programs. It also develops and recommends policies and adjudicates student petitions regarding initial undergraduate admissions, including entering freshmen. The ARC Petition process is managed by an online process accessed here.
Deadline Appeals Board
A student may petition this board to be exempted from published registration deadlines for the current term when mitigating circumstances prevent deadline compliance. Petitions must include documentation of the reason for missing the deadline.
Petition forms may be obtained online here or from the Office of the Registrar in the Neuberger Hall lobby. For further information students may call 503-725-3220.
Scholastic Standards Committee (SSC)
The SSC is a Faculty Senate committee charged with developing and recommending academic standards to maintain the integrity of the undergraduate program and academic transcripts of the University; developing, maintaining and implementing protocols regarding academic changes to the undergraduate transcript; reviewing and ruling on petitions for any retroactive change to the academic record such as a grade option change, drop, add, and extension of an incomplete beyond the one year deadline; and adjudicating student petitions for academic reinstatement to the University. Conferral of an accredited Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree constitutes automatic reinstatement to the University once an official copy of a transcript with degree posted is presented to the Office of the Registrar. Petition forms to waive deadlines may be obtained online here or petition forms for reinstatement may be obtained online here. Both petition forms may also be picked up at the Registrar's Office in lobby of Neuberger Hall. For further information, call 503-725-3220.