Grade Change and Grade Grievance Policy and Procedures - College of Business

Grade Change Policy

A grade change may be submitted by an instructor on a Grade Change Submission Form to correct an error. The Grade Change Submission Form must include a formal explanation by the faculty member in charge of the course outlining the circumstances surrounding the original error and justifying the grade change. Grade Change Submission Forms must be submitted within five weeks of the end of the course.

The Department Chair will not approve any Grade Change Submission Form for a grade change when the reason specified is "extra work is submitted", "student rewrote a paper", "student retook the final" or another special arrangement unless the instructor is able to provide to the Department Chair a statement that the arrangement giving this one student the opportunity to raise his/her/their grade was an arrangement available to and known by every student in the course. If the grade is being changed because the work was submitted after grades were due and no "incomplete" grade was originally given, th grade will be posted with an "I" as long as the work was completed during the incomplete deadline period.

When the instructor is changing a grade from "incomplete", s/he/they must include the date the student submitted his/her/their completed work. Even if the course has lapsed to “E”, the grade can still be approved for posting if the work completed by the student was within the incomplete deadline date or the extended deadline date.

 

Grade Grievance Procedures

The COB adheres to the American Association of University Professors precept that places primary responsibility with the faculty "for such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter, and methods of instruction." The assessment of student academic performance, it follows, including the assignment of particular grades, is a faculty responsibility. Recognizing the authority of the instructor of record to evaluate the academic performance of students enrolled in a course she/he/they is teaching is a direct corollary of the instructor's "freedom in the classroom.” The faculty member offering the course, it follows, should be responsible for the evaluation of student course work and, under normal circumstances, is the sole judge of the grades received by the students in that course.

According to the Association's Statement on Professional Ethics, "professors make every reasonable effort ... to ensure that their evaluations of students reflect each student's true merit.” The academic community proceeds under the strong presumption that the instructor's evaluations are authoritative. At the same time, of course, situations do arise in which a student alleges that a grade she/he/they has received is wrong. A suitable mechanism for appeal, one which respects both the prerogatives of instructors and the rights of students in this regard, should thus be available for reviewing allegations that inappropriate criteria were used in determining the grade or that the instructor did not adhere to stated procedures or grading standards.

Under no circumstances should administrative officers on their own authority substitute their judgment for that of the faculty concerning the assignment of a grade. The review of a student complaint over a grade should be by faculty, under procedures adopted by faculty, and any resulting change in a grade should be by faculty authorization.

Instructors in COB are expected to set fair and consistent grading procedures for their respective courses. If the grading rubric is used consistently for each student, then the final grade is assumed to be the correct grade. However, students can inquire about a grade and subsequently initiate a grade grievance when they think that the grade was unfairly given.

To appeal any grade (or other course-related matter), students must follow these steps:

I. Consultation with the Instructor. 

The first step in inquiring about the accuracy of a final grade or any other course-related matter should be directed to the lead instructor of the course. This initial inquiry should take place within the first fifteen (15) University business days of the first full term following the term in which the disputed grade was issued. In general, the student should communicate the concerns to the instructor in writing and then schedule an appointment if necessary. Many instructors spell out specific procedures for grade appeals in their syllabi, which should be followed as long as they do not conflict with this college policy.

II. Grade Grievance Grounds. 

If, after this inquiry, the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s response, the student may choose to initiate a formal grade grievance. A student may grieve a final course grade. This grievance process is intended to provide the student the protection against evaluations which are arbitrary and/or capricious. Arbitrary and/or capricious grades are defined as grades:

  1. Assigned to a student on some basis other than performance in the course; or
  2. Assigned to a student using standards different from those which were applied to other students in that section of the course; or

  3. Assigned to a student on the basis of criteria that are a substantial, unreasonable, and unannounced departure from the instructor’s previously articulated standards as provided in the instructor’s syllabus, posted revisions to the syllabus, or other written and established course requirements, which had a material impact on the final course grade.

    Issues that do not meet one or more of these criteria for arbitrariness and/or capriciousness are not appropriate grounds for a grade appeal under this policy. In such cases, the Associate Dean may decline to refer the grievance to the Grade Grievance Committee.

    There is a presumption that the grades assigned are correct and therefore the student has the burden of proof in the grievance process (i.e. she/he/they must establish the grading process was arbitrary and/or capricious). To start this process, the student (either graduate or undergraduate) must contact the Department Chair before the end of the fifth week of classes in the first full term following the term in which the disputed grade was issued.

III. Grade Grievance Procedures.

  1. Department Chair Mediation. If the student remains dissatisfied with the course grade after consulting with the instructor, she/he/they should advance her/his concern to the relevant Department Chair within three (3) academic calendar days of meeting with the instructor. The Department Chair then shall schedule a meeting to meet with the student and, if deemed necessary, the instructor. (If the grievance concerns the Department Chair, the student has the right to bypass the departmental process and proceed directly to the Grievance Board stage.)

    If the grievance cannot be resolved, the Department Chair shall notify the student and the instructor within three (3) academic calendar days of the meeting with the student, informing the student of her/his/their right to advance the grievance to the College level for review.

  2. Grievance Board. If a resolution is not reached through informal discussions, the student has five (5) academic calendar days after receiving the Department Chair’s notice to complete and submit to the Associate Dean a request for a hearing before the grievance board. (If the grievance concerns the Associate Dean, the Dean will appoint another faculty member or administrator to fulfill the duties listed below for the Associate Dean.) The request should be in writing stating the basis for the complaint, with specific evidence in support of the argument that the grade either was given in error or was unfairly determined. This formal complaint also should summarize the outcome of the initial inquiry to the course instructor, indicating what aspects are in dispute. Upon receipt of the written complaint, the Associate Dean will ask the instructor to provide a written summary restating how the final grade was determined and to respond to the specific claims made by the student.

    After receiving this information from both the student and the instructor, the Associate Dean will convene the grievance board, and set a date for a formal hearing. The Associate Dean should communicate this decision in writing to the student and the instructor.

    The initial membership of the grievance board shall be the same as the membership of the COB Academic Integrity Hearing Board. However if the instructor whose grade is being grieved has a higher rank than any members of the grievance board, the grievance board shall be reconstituted so that the membership of the grievance board shall constitute those faculty members who are equal in or have a higher rank than the instructor whose grade is being grieved.

    Membership of this board should be approved by the COB Executive Committee (electronically if needed). The grievance board will not include the Department Chair, or anyone else with a potential conflict of interest in the case.

    The grievance board will receive the written student complaint and any supporting evidence and the instructor’s summary in advance of the formal hearing, and both the student and the instructor will also receive these records as well. During the formal hearing, the student will be asked to first present the basis of his or her complaint; the instructor will then be asked to present his or her explanation for how grades were determined. Following an open period of questions to all parties, i.e., the student, the instructor and the grievance board members, the formal hearing will be adjourned.

IV. Grievance Board Findings. 

The grievance board will then have ten (10) University business days to determine its findings and submit a written report to the Associate Dean.

The Grievance Board may reach one of two findings:

  1. The board may uphold the grade awarded by the instructor. In this case the matter is closed and the Associate Dean will notify the student and the instructor. The grievance board may provide written feedback to the student and/or the instructor, but is not obligated to do so.

  2. The board may determine that the student has established that evaluation was done in a manner that was arbitrary and/or capricious. In this case the board shall determine what grade should be awarded and recommend a grade change. The board may at this stage also request further information from the student and/or the instructor, and may also consult with faculty in the academic discipline of the course involved.

    If the grievance board recommends a grade change, the Associate Dean will communicate that decision directly to the instructor. The instructor will then be asked to respond in writing within five (5) University business days to the Associate Dean indicating whether or not she/he/they will abide by the grievance board’s recommendation. If the instructor agrees to a grade change, the Associate Dean will inform the student in writing of the instructor’s decision and the student’s final course grade will be changed. The matter is considered closed.

V. Referral to the Dean. 

If an instructor does not accept the grievance board’s recommendation to change the final grade, the matter will be referred to the Dean for a final determination on this matter. The Associate Dean will provide to the Dean all documentation that was part of the grievance hearing, the grievance board’s written report, and any response provided by the instructor as to why she/he/they will not change the grade. The Dean may ask for any additional information that she/he/they believes is necessary to make a decision in this matter. On receipt of this material, the Dean will then have ten (10) University business days to determine his/her findings and inform the Associate Dean.

The Dean may reach one of two findings:

  1. The Dean may uphold the original grade awarded by the instructor. In this case the matter is closed and the Associate Dean will notify the student and the instructor. The Dean may provide written feedback to the student and/or the instructor, but is not obligated to do so.
  2. The Dean may uphold the recommendation of the grievance board. In this case, the grade for the course will be changed according to the grievance board’s directive. The Associate Dean will notify the student and the instructor, and take the necessary steps to implement the original decision of the grievance board.

At any time in this process, the instructor may determine based on information learned during the grievance process that the grade should be changed. In this case the instructor can initiate the grade change as shown in the first section of this document. The matter will then be considered closed.

There is no grade appeal beyond the Dean.

Below is the order of events in the grade grievance policy. This diagram is not part of the policy and does not describe all of the details involved in each step of the process.

 

Step 1:

Student first meets with instructor, within 15 business days of the start of the next full term. If this doesn't resolve the issue, student contacts the chair within 3 days.

Step 2:

Chair meets with student and possible instructor. If this doesn't resolve the issue, chair notifies the student and within 5 days student can raise issue with Associate Dean.

Step 3:

Associate Dean refers matter to Grievance Committee, which determines whether grade was "arbitrary, capricious, or prejudicial". If so, the committee may recommend a change in grade.

Step 4:

The faculty member may accept the recommendation and change the grade. If the faculty member does not accept the recommendation of the Grievance Committee, the Dean makes a final determination.