Appeals Process and Guidelines

Appeal and Exception Process for Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant: The Institutional Review Panel (IRP) is established for the purpose of hearing appeals from decisions denying or revoking an applicant’s WNTSG award. The following items can be appealed to the IRP:

Denial of a Change in Status request
Denial of a Leave of Absence request
Denial of Reinstatement of eligibility after a change in grade
Denial of Reinstatement of eligibility after the grade for an incomplete course is reported.

The IRP members will be designated by the school President and may be composed of, but not limited to, the following: two faculty members, one student, one administrator and one support staff. An alternate will be designated for an IRP member who is personally involved in a case or is otherwise unable to attend. No school official rendering a decision to deny or revoke a WNTSG award shall participate in the appeal process.

IRP Appeals Process and Timeline: Any student wishing to appeal to the IRP must provide a written appeal within five (5) calendar days of notification of denial. The IRP may review the student’s appeal with or without a hearing and shall decide no later than the end of the term after the student properly files an appeal. The IRP shall render a written decision no later than seven (7) calendar days after considering an appeal, except for exigent circumstances.

Appeals of IRP Decisions: A student seeking an appeal of a decision rendered by the IRP shall submit a request in writing outlining the basis for the appeal with the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation TELS Award Appeals Panel within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the decision was delivered to the student. The submission should be sent to:

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
TELS Award Panel
404 James Robertson Parkway
Suite 1510
Nashville, Tennessee 37243