Policy on Consideration of Requests for Change of Grade after Conclusion of the Course (approved by the Faculty Organization 4/17/09)
Units should not consider petitions for change of grade from concluded courses older than 5 years. Academic units may choose to use a shorter time period than the campus limit. Academic units may make an exception only if an extremely serious and documented circumstance prevents the student from filing the petition within the 5-year period. For the situation where a student believes there was an error in the calculation or assigning of a course grade it is the responsibility of the student to contact the course instructor to discuss the grade and make his or her case to have the grade changed. If the course instructor declines to support the student's request for a change of grade or in situations where the instructor cannot be contacted, the student may appeal the course grade following the procedures established by the awarding academic unit. For the situation where a student seeks a withdrawal it is the responsibility of the student to contact the course instructor to discuss this request and make his or her case to have the grade changed. If the course instructor declines to support the student's request for a withdrawal or in situations where the instructor cannot be contacted, the student may appeal the course grade following the procedures established by the awarding academic unit.Process
The Change of Grade Request requires course information (course title, semester taken) and a reason for the requested change. Additional documentation to substantiate the reason may be required. The following changes can be made using the Request for Change of Grade Form:
A.Miscalculation of Grade
B.Late work Completed (and accepted)
C.F to W (documentation required)
D. F to I (documentation required)
E. F to grade (if I converted to F)
If the student's performance or withdrawal was medically related, the student should provide appropriate supporting documentation. Only persons with a need to know will see any confidential materials you may submit. Decisions on grade changes are made within the schools. Please allow 3-4 weeks for the review process and somewhat longer in the summer and during semester breaks. If the request is supported, the school will notify the Office of the Registrar of the new grade. Students are encouraged to check on line to verify the new grade. If the request is denied, students will be so notified by the school. The student may then appeal to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Organization.
Appeals to the Academic Affairs Committee
A student may appeal each given grade only once. Students may obtain from their instructor all relevant information regarding their grade, including information about what factors contributed to this grade, the respective weight of each of the factors, copies of their work in the class, and the instructor’s evaluation of the work. The student is not entitled to copies of others’ work or the grade book from the entire course. The letter of appeal and all evidence provided must be received by the Office of Academic Affairs within 6 months of the Appeal being denied at the level of the Academic Unit. You may only appeal to the Academic Affairs Committee after proceeding through the process detailed above (instructor, chair and/or Dean/Director). Any grade appeal must be in writing. The letter of appeal must contain the following information:
1) The student’s name and correct mailing address; the course in question, the semester in which the course was taught, the name(s) of the instructor(s); the assigned grade; the date of the appeal.
2) Concise arguments about why the instructor would have been obligated to assign a better grade. It is the student’s responsibility to list all such arguments in this letter of appeal. If more than one argument is given, the student must structure the appeal so that this distinction is apparent. Once the appeal has been made, the student may not add or change arguments. The student is therefore encouraged to draft and review the appeal very carefully.
3) All evidence that supports the argument made in (2).
4) All written documents from previous appeal levels created by the student and the instructor, chair and/or Dean/Director.
5) The Academic Affairs Committee will meet to consider the grade appeal. They may (at their discretion) call the student, the instructor, chair and/or Dean/Director, or other parties to provide information. The committee may also ask for additional supporting evidence from any of the parties.
6) The Academic Affairs Committee will make a recommendation to the Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs who will make the final decision, which will be final. The student will be notified in writing of this decision.