ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

Senate: ED DP 4-3-1-0 | 3rd Read 16-12-2-0

House: ED DP 4-3-0-3

SB 1477: political bias; grade challenge department

Sponsor: Senator Kern, LD 27

House Engrossed

Overview

Creates the Grade Challenge Department (Department) within the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) to hear challenges from students who allege a grade was awarded because of political bias.

History

ABOR may adopt, and authorize each public university to adopt, regulations, policies, rules or measures necessary for the effective governance and administration of the public universities. Specific powers of ABOR include establishing curricula, designating courses and awarding degrees and diplomas on the completion of courses and curriculum requirements (A.R.S. § 15-1626).

Faculty members, subject to the powers and responsibilities of ABOR and the public university presidents, share responsibility for academic/educational activities and personnel matters and participate in university governance and in the development of university policy through their elected faculty representatives (A.R.S. § 15-1601).

Provisions

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteEstablishes the Department within ABOR and a Department location at each public university to hear any class or assignment grade challenges from public university students who allege a grade was awarded because of political bias.

2.   Requires the Department to be composed of volunteers selected by ABOR to provide a hearing for students to challenge an overall class or assignment grade.

3.   Directs ABOR to provide staff to support the Department as necessary.

4.   Authorizes the Department, if it determines that a student's grade was awarded because of political bias, to require any faculty member to regrade the student's assignment or reevaluate the student's overall class grade consistent with the Department's guidance.

5.   Allows a student to appeal the Department's decision to ABOR if they believe the Department wrongly dismissed or did not adequately consider the facts of their challenge.

6.   Authorizes ABOR to order any faculty member to regrade a student's assignment or reevaluate a student's overall class grade consistent with ABOR's guidance.

7.   Defines public university.

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11.                    SB 1477

12.  Initials CH           Page 0 House Engrossed

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