Appeals Process

Appeals Process

If a student wishes to appeal a formal decision of their status with the Education Department, including admission to the department and recommendation for licensure, they may complete the appeal process outlined below.  A student does not need to appeal an Admissions Committee decision to reapply during a later semester.

Within 30 school days:

1. Meet with an Education Department advisor or another Education Department faculty/staff member to plan the appeal.
2. Within 30 school days of receiving formal notice of a decision from the Department, the student will send the  Department Chair a signed electronic copy of a letter requesting a meeting with the Appeals Committee about the decision.

The letter must include:

• • Description of the decision being appealed
  • Summary of the grounds for the appeal.
  • Name of one CSB+SJU faculty/staff member who will accompany the student to the appeal meeting.

Steps that will take place after the appeal letter is received:

1. Within 5 school days of receiving the letter requesting an appeal, the Department Chair will forward an electronic copy of the letter to the Chair of the Appeals Committee for review.
2. Within 10 school days of receiving the letter, the Chair of the Appeals Committee will determine whether there is cause for a meeting.
3. If cause is determined, a meeting will be scheduled to occur within 20 school days. The student will be notified of the date, time, and place of the meeting. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, this could occur via telephone or video-conference.

Appeals Committee Meeting process:

The purpose of the meeting is to include the student’s voice in the Committee’s reconsideration of a decision.

1. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will first summarize the Education Department’s decision in question.
2. The student will be asked to share any extenuating circumstances on which the appeal is based.
3. Committee members and faculty/staff representative will not speak on the student’s behalf, but can ask questions to better understand the situation.
4. After an opportunity to address all questions is complete, the student and their faculty/staff representative will be excused from the meeting and the committee will review the information provided.

Notification of Decision:

1. Within 24 hours of the meeting, the Chair of the Appeals Committee will notify the student of the decision.
2. If the student believes the appeals process was unfair, they may appeal directly to the Dean or the Director of Academic Advising.

College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University

Leah VanOverbeke
Education Department Specialist
CSB HAB 125
320-363-5709