Does the president of a university have the power to allow a student to graduate?

Student Lounge College Life
1

I’m in a bad situation now where I’m trying to get academic affairs to change a grade from last year that I had due to an ear infection. It was a grade of an FA which means (failure to attend).

I even turned in all of my work for that class including the final. So far it’s not going well and I have no more financial aid left and was hoping to graduate this semester.

I heard of one situation from another university in which the president allowed someone to graduate. Does the president have the much power?

2

Why didn’t you take an incomplete rather than just not showing up? That is the proper way to handle that situation.
How are your grades otherwise? Have you talked to the professor? The Dean of Students?

3

This is a matter that would typically be taken up with both the professor in question, and the dean of students. Issues like this don’t typically get taken to the president unless the lower channels don’t reach an outcome.

4

There’s a chain of command.

It starts with the professor, then I imagine goes to department chair.

5

are you doing this through a formal appeal process? i’m in a similar situation with a class and wanted to know this as well

6

Did your family donate a building to the college?

7

Did you or your family notify the professor when you realized that you would be out of class for an extended period? Or did you not contact them and just show up later? The latter is not acceptable behavior. Did you submit medical documentation?

8

For what it’s worth, I think you can expect the president to back his professor in this particular case.

There’s a procedure in place, and you failed to follow it. Why would he override an employee who is following procedure?