Department of English at Illinois State University

Grade Appeals and Student Complaints

Although all Writing Program instructors were hired for their excellence in teaching, situations do sometimes occur in which students desire to express a concern about a course or instructor or to appeal a final grade. In such cases, the Writing Program feels a deep committment to hearing what students have to say. This page contains information for students on procedures for appealing a final grade or filing a concern.

Grade Appeals

Students sometimes have questions or concerns about their grades in your ENG 101 or ENG 145 series course.  The first step should always be to request a meeting with the course instructor to discuss the issues.  However, for students who wish to appeal their grades, the following procedures apply:

  1. Complete the course. (Students cannot appeal ongoing grades during a course. The Grade Appeal process is for appealing final grades only.)
  2. If you wish that have your course grade reconsidered, please make sure that you have first contacted your instructor and arranged a meeting to discuss the grade.
  3. If, after meeting with your instructor, you still wish to appeal, please contact the Writing Program Assistant Director, Nancy McKinney.
  4. Students applying for a formal appeal must submit a complete portfolio of their work for the semester (including all materials, not just finished writing projects).
  5. The student must additionally submit a rationale that explains which specific aspects of the course work they feel should be reconsidered, and why.
  6. The Program Assistant Director will review the materials and then consult with the course instructor to decide whether the course grade should be reconsidered.
  7. If an appeal is granted, the Assistant Director will then facilitate the review with the instructor.
  8. If the student’s instructor has left the university, the Assistant Director will manage the appeal process with the help of the Writing Program Director.

    Grade Appeals Form

For more informatoin about grade appeals, contact

Nancy McKinney
Assistant Director of the Writing Program
Office: 133B Stevenson
Phone: 438-3396
(e-mail Nancy McKinney)

Student Concerns & Complaints

Students who have concerns or complaints about a course in the writing program can contact the Program Assistant Director, Nancy McKinney. After discussing the issue with the student, the Assistant Director may ask the student to fill out a student Concern form.

Student Concern Form

To express a concern or complaint about a first-year writing class, please contact:

Nancy McKinney
Assistant Director of the Writing Program
Office: 133B Stevenson
Phone: 438-3396
(e-mail Nancy McKinney)