Appeal Procedure/Guidelines for Undergraduate Students
Students academically suspended or academically dismissed from Liberty University may appeal for readmission under academic amnesty per the following protocols:
- Undergraduate students must not have been enrolled at Liberty University for a period of at least 2 academic years. (Example: If the student’s last enrollment was in the Spring 2019 semester, he/she would not be eligible to appeal for Academic Amnesty until after the Spring 2021 semester).
- The student must submit a written appeal for readmission to the Associate Registrar for Undergraduate Studies. The appeal should include a thorough explanation of (1) the circumstances that contributed to the academic performance which resulted in the student’s Academic Suspension or Dismissal and (2) why the student’s present circumstances are more conducive to improved academic performance if permitted to resume his/her studies. Please note: Students academically dismissed because of academic dishonesty are not eligible for Academic Amnesty.
- The Associate Registrar for Undergraduate Studies will submit the student’s appeal to the Vice Provost for review.
- If the Vice Provost denies the student’s appeal, the decision will be final. The student will not be permitted to resume the pursuit of any undergraduate degree through Liberty University.
- If the Vice Provost approves the student’s appeal, all grades of D and F will be revised to Q, and will no longer be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA. This immediately raises the student’s GPA to at least 2.0, but the student will have to retake those classes in which grades of “D” or “F” were earned if they are required for the completion of their degree. Grades of A, B and C will not be revised and will continue to be included in the student’s cumulative GPA.
- Once the approved student’s grades have been revised, he/she is eligible to apply for readmission (he/she must meet all applicable admission requirements to gain readmission). The student will be readmitted on Academic Caution, and the number of credit hours will be limited during his/her first semester back at Liberty.
- The previous academic standing hold will remain on the student’s account for the first semester so that the student will need to be manually registered by a New Enrollment Specialist. If the student successfully completes his/her first semester meeting their minimum cumulative program GPA, the student will be permitted to increase his/her course load, if desired.
- The previously assigned academic standings will not change and will remain part of the student’s academic records for the respective semesters for which they were earned.
- Students who have been granted academic amnesty are not eligible for graduation honors.
Liberty University Online Programs General Complaint Policies
The following policies can be found on the Student Honor Code and Student Advocate websites.
General Policy for Online Student Complaints
Complaints not specifically addressed by policies in any portion of the above student support areas should be directed to the Liberty University Online Student Advocate Office by following the complaint procedure below and completing the Student Complaint Form.
The Student Advocate Office will assess the complaint, identify the appropriate person(s) to assist the student, and facilitate contact with the student and appropriate office(s) to ensure resolution of the complaint.
It is important to note that this policy is ONLY for complaints not addressed by other stated policies. Additionally, the Student Advocate Office may be contacted in cases where a student is uncertain on how to proceed with a complaint, or if a complaint remains unresolved after a reasonable amount of time.
Procedure for Online Student Complaints
- Students may submit a formal complaint about an issue occurring during their current or previous term of enrollment.
- Only complaints submitted via the online complaint form will be considered official complaints. Complaints submitted via other forums will not be reviewed.
- Student Advocate reviews the complaint and accompanying documentation.
- Student Advocate, if necessary, assigns the complaint to another university office, (Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Academics, etc.) for research/decision-making.
- Complaint decision is rendered based on research findings.
- The decision-making party will rule on the complaint and update the online complaint form.
- The student is notified via email of the decision.
- If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of their initial complaint, they may appeal within 5 business days of the rendered decision by providing additional support/documentation for review.
- A second review of the complaint will be completed by a higher authority whose decision will be final.
Honor Code
Please view the honor code for all Liberty University Online students.
Liberty University Online Programs Grade Appeals
Students are encouraged to contact their professor to resolve any concerns regarding individual course assignment grades and/or the final grade for the course; however, if the student and professor are unable to come to a resolution, the student should then submit a Final Grade Appeal located in Beacon.
Criteria for Appeal
Once the final grade has been posted, a student may appeal the grade beyond the professor. When accessing the Grade Appeal Form, please use either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and log in with your Liberty username and password.
Appeals are accepted only when the grade assigned conflicts with:
- The published grading rubrics for the course assignments
- Written communication (i.e., email, announcements, etc.)
- Calculation error on an assignment (resulting in a change to the final grade)
Appeals, other than those mentioned above, will not be reviewed. The student must provide written documentation that demonstrates the occurrence of one or more of the above grounds for appeal. Documentation may be in the form of email correspondence, graded assignments, proof of timely submission, etc. After submitting the appeal, if additional information is needed, the student will be notified via their Liberty email.
Appeal Process
A student wishing to appeal a final grade must submit the appeal to their professor and seek to resolve the situation with them. If the student wishes to appeal further, they must follow the process outlined below:
- Within 30 calendar days of the end of the sub-term, the student may submit a written appeal to the Online Chair but should do so through the Grade Appeal Form. The student must include the information required above. The professor will also be notified of the appeal and will be able to provide pertinent documentation before the Online Chair renders their decision. The online chair will have 7 days to review the appeal from the time of submission. When the review is complete, the student will be notified of the decision via their Liberty email and the appeal portal.
- If the student has additional support for their appeal, the student may re-appeal to the Online Associate Dean through the appeal portal after receiving the decision of the Online Chair. This written appeal must be submitted within five business days of the Online Chair’s decision. The Online Associate Dean will review the student’s appeal, as well as any information provided by the faculty member. The Online Associate Dean will have 7 days to review the appeal, from the time of submission. When the review is complete, the student will be notified of the decision via their Liberty email and the appeal portal.
- If the student has additional support for their appeal, the student may re-appeal to the Academic Dean, through the appeal portal after receiving the decision of the Online Associate Dean. This written appeal must be submitted within 5 business days of the Online Associate Dean’s decision. The Academic Dean will review the student’s appeal, as well as any information provided by the faculty member. The Academic Dean will have 7 days to review the appeal from the time of submission. When the review is complete, the student will be notified of the decision via their Liberty email and the appeal portal. The Academic Dean’s decision is final.
Liberty University Privacy Policy and FERPA Information
Liberty University is committed to protecting your privacy when you visit our website. The University Privacy Policy outlines how we collect information when you visit one of our sites, how we use that information, and how you can update that information.
Liberty University and Liberty University Online respect the rights and privacy of our students and strictly adheres to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. This means relatives and other individuals may not obtain information about a student unless the student issues formal written consent to the university.
Learn more about FERPA or Liberty’s FERPA policy and release form.
Withdrawal Policy
For more information about our withdrawal and financial aid policies, visit the Student Financial Services Policies webpage.
