Academic Petition Appeals
ADMISSIONS APPEALS: Applicants wishing to file an admissions appeal can find information on the Cal Poly Admission Decision Appeals page.
GRADE APPEALS: Students wishing to file a grade appeal may submit a request to the Cal Poly Academic Senate Fairness Board as per the process found at Fairness Board. Please also contact the Chair of the Fairness Board for more information on grade appeals. The Chair is currently clehr@calpoly.edu
Other Academic Appeals: You may initiate an academic appeal after you have received a decision on a petition or other academic-related request, and you believe the decision is in error or that special circumstances were not adequately considered. Academic petitions may include, but are not limited to, issues related to
- Change of major
- Course and term withdrawals
- Academic disqualification
- Academic policy deviation requests
Before initiating an appeal, be sure you have followed the petition process and addressed your concerns with the department / college responsible. If you have questions, contact your advisor or the Office of the Registrar to ensure you have followed all procedures and exhausted your options.
Following a petition decision, and under limited circumstances, students may appeal to the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovations and Programs or his/her designee. The right to an appeal is not guaranteed and an appeal will only be considered if the student can show that one or more of the following exist:
- A requirement or policy was incorrectly applied to the petition.
- A requirement or policy is unclear or ambiguous.
- There are serious and compelling circumstances warranting the consideration of the appeal.
ACADEMIC PETITION Appeal Process
If you feel your case meets the above criteria, gather all documents and communications related to your case, including any petitions or forms. Briefly outline your situation and the steps you have taken to resolve it (a bulleted list is ideal), and state why you feel the denial of your request was the incorrect decision.
Send this information to the Academic Programs office, acadprog@calpoly.edu.
Your request will be reviewed, and additional information may be gathered from your advisor, department, dean, and the office of the registrar. We may wish to meet with you and will contact you if needed.
The Associate Vice Provost's decisions regarding appeals represent the University's final decision on academic petitions.
Contact the Office of Academic Programs at 756-2246 or by email at acadprog@calpoly.edu if you have questions or need additional information.
Sources:
Academic Senate Resolution: AS-765-13 "Fairness Board Description and Procedures" (PDF). Adopted 21 May 2013.
Last Updated: 4/2/2024