14. APPEAL OF DEPARTMENTAL ACTIONS

All appeals of Departmental actions are made by written request to the GPD, who must take the following actions:

1. The GPD will appoint a panel to consider the matter. The panel will be a subset of the Graduate Affairs Committee, with the exception that members of the committee who are involved in any way with the student or with the subject of the appeal will be disqualified. Replacements, if needed, will be chosen by the GPD. Graduate student members are chosen by the Department's graduate students, without faculty involvement. Student members must not be named in the appeal or be party to it in any compromising way.
2. The hearing panel will have a minimum of two faculty and two student members. Equal representation of students and faculty is required. The panel will choose a chair at its first meeting.
3. University policy does not allow students to examine official records of other students without permission. If student records are needed in the appeal process, and permission is not granted, then the Graduate Program will appoint faculty members to replace the student members of the hearing panel.
4. The student or the panel may request that other involved parties be present to provide information. Other directly involved parties have a right to address the panel.
5. After hearing the matter, the panel will vote on the student's petition by secret ballot. The panel will make a recommendation to the Department Chair, who will attempt to implement the decision or will bring the matter to the faculty if changes in Department policy are involved.
6. Appeal of the decision may be made by petition to the Graduate Council Appeals Committee, but only after Departmental action.