Policies and Procedures

Columbia College Bulletin

Academic Concerns, Complaints, and Grievances

Columbia College students are members of a University community committed to fostering intellectual inquiry within a climate of academic freedom and integrity. Students and faculty alike are expected to promote these goals in the context of inclusiveness, mutual respect, and tolerance for others, as ideas are explored, facts gathered, opinions weighed, and conclusions drawn. We work together with the understanding that we are, first and foremost, an educational community with teaching and learning at the heart of our enterprise and many educational opportunities beyond the walls of the classroom.

Central to all of our procedures is our educational mission, and it is this educational mission which also informs our process for dealing with academic concerns, complaints, and grievances. From time to time a student may have concerns about a particular classroom experience, a specific curricular matter, or a faculty member’s actions that seem not to be consistent with the highest ideals of our community. Different kinds of academic concerns and complaints will require different approaches to resolve them satisfactorily.

If a student has a concern relating to their academic experience, we in the College would like to be of help. Concerns are more often than not the result of a misunderstanding or a miscommunication, so students are encouraged to talk with their instructors in office hours to understand or clarify the expectations for a class, and/or to talk with their advising deans to understand more clearly the rights and responsibilities of both students and instructors at Columbia.

Students may wish to speak first with to their advising deans for advice about how best to proceed. It may, for example, be the case that the issue is best taken up with the student's instructor. If, after a discussion with the advising dean, it is clear that the student does not feel comfortable speaking directly with the instructor, the advising dean will then advise and support the student in a different course of action.

For all procedures that are handled in the College, we attempt first to resolve issues on an informal and educational basis, making sure that those involved understand each other's point of view, before moving toward more formal procedures of complaint and redress. In every case we seek to address issues in a timely manner at the most immediate level available, before moving up to higher levels of authority and responsibility.

Concerns Regarding a Final Grade for a Course

The awarding of grades and all other academic evaluations rests entirely with the faculty of Columbia, and students have the right to understand how their grades were determined. If a student has a concern relating to a particular grade or other assessment of his or her academic work, the student first should speak with the instructor of the class to understand how the grade or other evaluation was determined and to inquire about the specific concern. If the student does not feel comfortable speaking with the class instructor about the matter, he or she should bring the issue to the attention of the department chair, the director of undergraduate studies, or his or her advising dean in order to seek advice on how best to address the issue.

If a student believes that there has been a procedural breach in the determination of a final grade, the student can take the following steps:

Step 1

The student should ask the instructor for information about how the grade was determined. This information is usually sufficient to clarify and conclude the matter. 

It is important to note that instructors have a great deal of autonomy with regard to their methods of instruction and their criteria for grading. The way that one instructor assesses and grades students in a class may be very different from the way that another instructor assesses and grade students in a class, and those differences in approaches to teaching and grading can be a normal part of the University culture.

It may be the case that a student is disappointed if a final grade for a course is lower than the student expected, and yet the grade is also appropriate according to the instructor's evaluation. This is not a cause for a grade grievance: rather, students in this situation would be encouraged to talk with the instructor about how to improve the work in that class or in similar classes, and also encouraged to talk with their advising deans about their concerns more generally in order to better understand the academic context for the matter.

If a student believes that the information provided by the instructor seems to reflect a procedural error of some kind, the student should first point out the perceived error to the instructor. If there is disagreement between the student and instructor about whether a procedural error has occurred, then the student can pursue further discussions about the matter with other advisers (see below).

Step 2

If student continues to have concerns about whether a procedural error has occurred, the student can can consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in the relevant academic department or program about the matter.

Students do not need to be declared majors or concentrators in a department or program in order to consult with a Director of Undergraduate Studies: the DUS is responsible for supporting the overall academic experience of undergraduate students in the courses offered in the department or program. 

If a student has a concern about a foreign language class in particular, it may be better to consult with the relevant Director of Language Program (DLP) of that academic department or language program.

If, after consultation about the details of the matter, the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Director of Language Program determines that a procedural error has not occurred in the instructor's determination of the final grade, the matter is usually considered to be concluded. Again, a student may be disappointed with the outcome of the consultation, but the DUS (or DLP) is considered an authoritative voice in matters of undergraduate instruction in a department or program. 

Step 3

If a student continues to have concerns, the student can consult the Dean of Academic Affairs of the College. Students should understand that the dean supports the principle of faculty authority in matters of instruction and grading, given the expertise of instructors in their fields, the autonomy of instructors in their teaching methods, and the academic freedom of faculty in the construction and instruction of their courses. So students should be aware that the dean is not in a position to second-guess the way that work in particular classes has been evaluated, and that it is quite rare for the dean to raise further questions once the DUS and/or Chair of a department or program has assessed the situation and made a determination.

The dean will, however, want to know of possible procedural errors, to help if a situation warrants further conversation with an instructor or a DUS, or to talk if a student needs help in accepting the outcome of the inquiries.

After meeting with the student, the dean will determine if any further consultation with the faculty would be appropriate and useful. If the dean determines that no further consultations are warranted, the decision will be final. If the dean does consult with the instructor and/or DUS and confirms that no procedural breach has occurred and that the final grade was appropriate within the instructor's course, the student will be informed and the decision will be final.

A grade grievance for a final grade in a course must be pursued within thirty (30 days) following the awarding of the final grade. Grade grievances after this time frame will not be considered. Grade grievances through the College will be considered only for final grades in a course, not for individual assignments.

Concerns Regarding the Experience of a Class

The College is committed to ensuring that classes offer our undergraduate students a valuable intellectual experience. Some of that value comes from the experience of being challenged, not only to stretch one's knowledge and skills to more advanced levels, but also to question one's assumptions and preconceptions about academic fields and their larger contexts. It is the nature of challenges to be difficult and sometimes uncomfortable, but we hope that students will recognize these hard moments as evidence of their intellectual and personal growth, and students are encouraged to talk with instructors and advisers in these moments to have assistance and insight into the best ways to approach these challenges.

However, on occasion, a student may encounter a challenge that seems to go beyond the discomfort that would be considered a normal part of the challenging nature of advanced coursework. If a student has a concern about whether the material in a class or the dynamic of a class has been handled appropriately by an instructor, students are encouraged to consult their advising deans right away. It may be possible to remedy the situation at the time and improve the experience for student and instructor for the remainder of the course, or there may be other steps that the student or College administrators may want to take.

The rights, duties, and obligations for faculty in their instructional capacities are delineated in the Faculty Handbook, and the description of the expectations for an appropriate learning environment is quoted here for reference:

The University seeks to provide a learning environment that promotes intellectual inquiry and analytical thinking. In pursuit of those goals and the objectives of their courses, faculty may find it necessary to engage their students in discussions about issues that are contentious and emotionally charged, to respond critically to students’ reasoning, and to challenge them to reexamine deeply held beliefs. Faculty should allow the free expression of opinions within the classroom that may be different from their own and should not permit any such differences to influence their evaluations of their students. This is an important part of the faculty’s responsibility to their students and the educational mission of the University, but it must be done with civility, tolerance, and respect for ideas that differ from their own. When students feel that one of their instructors has not met that requirement, they are encouraged to resolve the problems directly with the faculty member but may instead turn to the department chair or dean. They may also seek a formal hearing of their complaints against the faculty member under the grievance procedures of their school. Each school has its own procedures for evaluating student complaints about the conduct of their instructors. These are posted on the individual school’s website and may also be obtained by contacting the office of its dean or visiting this list of grievance procedures for students.

If a student believes that there is cause for concern about the material or dynamic of a class, the student can take the following steps to see if others agree that there is a situation to be addressed:

Step 1

Students should first consult their advising deans, who can help provide context and can help clarify the nature of the concerns, and then help students prepare for a conversation with the instructor. Students may want to work with their advisers to prepare notes about their concerns and to consider the most effective ways to present their concerns to others.

Step 2

Students should arrange a time to have a conversation with the instructor; it may be best to schedule a time outside of office hours to ensure a set period of time to allow a full conversation. Students are encouraged to be direct about their concerns but not accusatory toward the instructor, in case there is a sincere misunderstanding or miscommunication at the heart of the concern; it may be very illuminating to instructors to hear students' responses to, and experiences of, the course material and classroom dynamic. The conversation hopefully will help both students and instructors feel heard and will allow students and instructors to understand the goals of the material or discussion in question, and the concern will have been addressed and will continue to be addressed in the remainder of the course. 

Step 3

If the conversation with the instructor does not result in a better understanding on the part of student and instructor, and the student continues to have concerns about the course, the student should consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) of the relevant academic department or program.

Students do not need to be delcared majors or concentrators in a department or program in order to consult with a Director of Undergraduate Studies: the DUS is responsible for considering the overall academic experience of undergraduate students in the courses offered in the department or program. 

If a student has a concern about a foreign language class in particular, it may be better to consult with the relevant Director of Language Program (DLP) of that academic department or language program.

Step 4

If, after consultation about the details of the matter and any possible advice or action on the part of the DUS or DLP, a student feels that there continues to be a serious concern about the materials or dynamic of a class, the student can consult an administrator in the College. Students can contact their advising deans, the Dean of Advising for Columbia College and Columbia Engineeirng, or the Dean of Academic Affairs for Columbia College. These administrators will want to know of student concerns about their experience and will want to help if the situation warrants further conversation with an instructor or a DUS, or to help if the student needs assistance in understanding the outcomes of the various consultations.

University Offices for Concerns regarding Discrimination or Harassment and Other Specific Types of Misconduct

It is important to note that there are specific types of concerns that require an alternative process that is managed by offices of the University, rather than offices of the College. Columbia University is committed to fostering intellectual inquiry in a climate of academic freedom and integrity. Its members, students and faculty alike, are expected to uphold these principles and exhibit tolerance and respect for others
 

If the alleged misconduct involves discrimination or harassment by a faculty or staff member, the complaint should be filed with the Office for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in accord with the University’s Policies and Procedures. The use of the term “discrimination and harassment” under these policies and procedures includes discrimination, discriminatory harassment, gender-based harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

If the alleged misconduct involves scientific or scholarly misconduct by a faculty member, the complaint should be filed according to Columbia's Institutional Policy on Misconduct in Research.

According to University policy, no faculty member may initiate or accept sexual or romantic advances or engage in a romantic or sexual relationship with any undergraduate student enrolled in Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of General Studies, or Barnard College or other affiliate of Columbia, regardless of whether the faculty member has a supervisory role over the student.

Other University Resources Available to Students

When a student believes that a faculty member has failed to meet his or her obligations in an instructional setting, the student can follow the steps outlined above to consult with faculty and administrators in the school and/or the student can consult with the University's Ombuds Office. The Ombuds Office is available to help students find solutions to a wide range of problems arising in the context of their association with the university, including those involving faculty misconduct in an instructional setting. Students may wish to consult with the Ombuds Office before taking their concerns to the School, or they may wish to consult with the Ombuds Office at any time in the course of their discussions with School officials. 

There are also grievance procedures available through the office of the Vice President for Arts and Sciences -- which are intended to complement, not substitute for, the procedures available in each of the Schools that are designed to address multiple types of concerns. The grievance procedures of the office of the Vice President for Arts and Sciences are designed to address only those cases involving professional misconduct by a faculty member of Arts and Sciences in an instructional setting in which there were significant irregularities or errors in applying School procedures. Information on this process can be found on the Faculty of the Arts and Sciences Website. (If the instructor at issue is not a member of the Arts and Sciences faculty, the student should consult the instructor’s particular school for its procedures.)

Confidentiality

At every level, those involved recognize and respect a student’s need for confidentiality when addressing certain kinds of concerns.

If the student wishes complete confidentiality, any concern may be raised with the University’s Ombuds Office. An Ombuds Officer is a neutral complaint handler for the University. The office offers a range of options and communication channels. Students, however, must be aware that the Ombuds Office has no authority to adjudicate a complaint; it is there as a confidential resource to students, faculty and administrators to advise on various avenues of redress and to mediate disputes, if both parties agree.

Columbia offers a number of other confidential resources to students:

Columbia Health Services
Medical providers are considered confidential resources in the context of providing medical treatment to a patient.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Sexual Violence Response 

Office of the University Chaplain

Academic Petitions

The Committee on Academic Standing and Academic Affairs are charged with upholding the academic policies established by the faculty.

Rare exceptions to these policies might be granted through petition and/or appeal, but students should be aware that such requests are reviewed with regard to equity for the whole College population. Therefore, when considering whether or not to submit a petition or appeal, students are required to critically assess their claim to exceptionality and to discuss with their advising dean the grounds for their request.

Columbia College has established petition procedures for requesting exceptions to the following policies:

Policy

Office with initial oversight for reviewing petition

Add a course after the deadline

Columbia College students are not permitted to add a course to their program of study after the deadline for so doing – which is the end of the second week of the semester.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Withdraw from a course after the deadline

Columbia College students are not permitted to remove a course from their academic record after the drop deadline (the 5th week of the semester). A student may elect to withdraw from a course after the drop deadline and no later than the Pass/D/Fail deadline, resulting in the mark of W for that course. In exceptional circumstances, such as medical illness, family emergency, etc., students may petition CAS for permission to withdraw from a course* after the deadline.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Frontiers of Science, deferment

Columbia College students are required to take Frontiers of Science in their first year.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Frontiers of Science-UW switch

Students may request permission to switch the order in which they take Frontiers of Science and University Writing, and will be allowed to do so on a space-available basis.

 

Center for the Core Curriculum

202 Hamilton Hall;

Electronic forms available here (UW-FOS and FOS-UWHard copy form is available in the Center for Student Advising.

Language Instruction, grade of P/D/F

Columbia College students are not permitted to take a language instruction class for a grade of Pass/D/Fail.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Music Instruction, Teachers College

Columbia College students may take a music instruction class at Teachers College (TC) on the understanding that they will be charged the full per-point TC tuition and additional TC fees.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Electronic form available here

Overlapping classes, registration

Columbia College students may not register for classes that overlap.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Petition to change a grading option after the deadline

Columbia College students must elect the grading option of Pass/D/Fail by the published deadline, which is typically in the tenth week of the semester.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Pass/D/Fail, uncovering letter grade

Students may uncover the letter grade for the class they took for a grade of Pass/D/Fail up to the second week of the next semester

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Points, registering for more than 18

Columbia College students are not permitted to register for more than 18 points of academic credit in a given semester.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Points, registering for fewer than 12

Columbia College students are not permitted to register for fewer than 12 points of academic credit in a given semester (unless they are a senior).

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

R credit

Seniors in the College who have completed all the degree requirements may request permission to take a class for a mark of R, with the approval of the instructor.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Global Core Requirement, exceptions for study abroad courses

The faculty Committee on the Global Core establishes the list of classes that are approved to count towards the Global Core Requirement. Petitions are only accepted for courses taken abroad in a program not taught by a Columbia faculty member.

Committee on the Global Core;

Electronic form available here

 

Student Athletes

Student Athletes may, with the approval of their team Head Coach and the Senior Associate Athletics Director, request instructor permission to make up work or take an exam at another time or location, in the event that their team is representing the University in a contest or tournament during scheduled class time.

Intercollegiate Athletics;

Hard copy form is available in 433 Dodge Fitness Center or in the Center for Student Advising.

Study Abroad, senior year

Columbia College students are not permitted to study abroad in their senior year.

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Teachers College classes, registration

Columbia College students may not register for (non-music instruction) classes at Teachers College.

Academic Affairs;

Electronic form available form here

University Writing section switch

Students may request permission to register for a different UW section; requests are accommodated on a space-available basis.

University Writing Program Office;

Electronic form available here

Petition to switch course section or level

Students are expected to make adjustments to their course schedule within the change of program period (the first two weeks
of the semester). A student may submit a petition to switch course level or section after the change of program period in certain circumstances (please see petition for details). 

Committee on Academic Standing;

Online form available here.

Petition to change a point value after deadline

Students are expected to make adjustments to their course schedule within the change of program period (the first two weeks
of the semester). A student may submit a petition to switch course level or section after the change of program period in certain circumstances (please see petition for details).

Committee on Academic Standing;

Electronic form available here.

Appealing a Decision of the Committee on Academic Standing

If a petition is denied by the Committee on Academic Standing (CAS) students may appeal to the Dean of Advising for Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, Andrew Plaa, requesting that the decision be overturned.

Students should note, however, that overturning a CAS decision requires new or additional information that was not previously available to the Committee and therefore did not figure in the Committee's decision making.

To consider appealing the decision of the Committee, students must first meet with their advising dean, in order to discuss the committee's reason for denying the original petition.

A letter of appeal can then be submitted to Dean of Advising for Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, Andrew Plaa, within ten business days of receiving the petition decision, which clearly includes the following information:

  • Name, class standing, Columbia email address
  • The nature of the appeal, i.e. the exception requested
  • The date that the original petition was submitted and denied.
  • The information that is new and additional to the original CAS petition
  • A copy of the original petition

The letter may be hand delivered to 403 Lerner Hall or emailed.

The time it takes to determine the outcome of an appeal varies from case to case.  Most appeals are concluded within seven business days.

Undergraduate International Travel Policy