Department of Dance
Appeals
Grades:
The Department of Dance follows the University guidelines as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin for all academic regulations (chapter 4), including grades. Within these regulations, faculty members determine specific grading criteria requirements and state these in the syllabus. It is reasonable for students to expect sufficient feedback from an instructor to understand the basis for a grade. Only the faculty member of a course is allowed to post grades for that course, or to change them under the rare circumstance when a change is warranted. Students should not expect a faculty member to consider changing a grade because they “need a higher grade” or an assignment was “too hard.” Students considering a grade appeal should consult the Undergraduate Bulletin.
Program requirements:
The Department has established program requirements which must be approved by various other University committees. These are stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Students may always follow a later bulletin than the one under which they entered, but not an earlier one. Occasionally, the Department makes other changes which are not in the bulletin a student is following, such as changing the title or level of a course or substituting a new course for a previous one; the Department makes great efforts to assure that students are not penalized by these changes. It is important for students to see their advisor regularly and to check their email for announcements send through the Blackboard organization for Dance majors. Students who are requesting an exemption from a program policy should be aware that this requires approval beyond the Department. Such requests should start with the advisor, the undergraduate coordinator, or the Department Head.
Other Departmental policies:
In addition to University regulations, the Department of Dance has in place a number of policies designed to facilitate smooth functioning of the Department. These include policies about managing enrollment, complimentary tickets, and rehearsal space. Requests for reconsideration of these policies should be directed to the Department Head.