The RC BOAS meets twice a year (after the fall and winter semesters) to consider
matters of academic discipline; however, impromptu meetings are scheduled as necessary
or conducted via email. All transcripts of RC students are reviewed by the Director of
Academic Services who makes tentative categorizations for review by members of the
RC BOAS. Decisions are then made to send a letter of concern, place a student on
probation, suspend the student for a semester, or mark the student ‘Action Pending’.
If the student’s record is not complete for the previous semester (if there are reports of
“Incomplete”, or No Record, for example), the student is reported as “Action Pending”
and an email is sent to advise the student of their status.
Letters of concern are sent if the student has at least one grade for the semester that is
below a “C” grade or if the student has only earned partial credit in an RC language
course.
Students are placed on probation if they have a GPA of less than “2.0”. They are advised
of their status via email and advised of the terms of probation: student must take no more
than 12 graded (not pass/fail) credits in the next full semester and must earn grades of
“C” or better. Students on probation are also required to meet regularly with an RC
Advisor. Requests for exceptions to the 12 credit limit can be considered by the Board.
Students can be suspended or NTRed if they have not met the terms of probation, have
had an especially poor semester or if the record overall raises significant concern for the
Board.
If the student is suspended (NTRed), they are sent an email advising them of their status
and advising them also of their right to submit a petition to the Board to make a case for
their return.

Students who are placed on probation (or continued probation) receive a follow-up email
if they have not arranged to meet regularly with an RC Academic Advisor.
If a student has been suspended (NTRed) and submits a petition to be allowed to register,
the petition goes before the Board on Academic Standing and the student receives an
email as to their decision.
Students who received an “Action Pending” are reviewed again by the Board on
Academic Standing. If the student has made no progress in completing their record, and
especially if the student has received an AP in previous semesters, the Board may vote to
place the student on probation or to suspend (NTR) the student immediately. In such
cases, the student is notified of the Board’s decision by an email.
No follow-up is taken on students who receive a letter of concern.
All communication to the student on Behalf of the RC Board is directed to
uniqname@umich.edu. No other email accounts are utilized or kept on file by RC
Academic Services.

It is the policy of the Residential College that RC instructors are solely
responsible for assessing and evaluating student work. Nevertheless, students
in RC classes need a procedure whereby they may appeal alleged capricious
grading. Capricious grading is defined only as the following:

1. the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other
than performance in the course;
2. the assignment of a grade to a particular student by resort to more
exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in
that course;
3. the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the
instructor's previously announced standards.

When charges such as these arise, discussion and arbitration can bring out the
facts to ascertain if there is a wrong which should be righted. Such hearings in
no way dispute the instructor's right to evaluate a student's work. These
guidelines shall serve to advise students in RC classes, faculty, and
administration as to grade grievance procedures.

When charges such as these arise, discussion and arbitration can bring out the
facts to ascertain if there is a wrong which should be righted. Such hearings in
no way dispute the instructor's right to evaluate a student's work. These
guidelines shall serve to advise students in RC classes, faculty, and
administration as to grade grievance procedures.

1. Within three weeks of receiving verbal or written notice of the grade,
the student shall see an RC academic advisor, who will explain these
grade grievance procedures.
2. Within two weeks of seeing the advisor, the student should confer with
the instructor to attempt to clarify circumstances. This gives the
instructor a chance to explain the basis on which the grade was assigned
and gives the student an opportunity to point out any apparent errors or
misjudgments.
3. If the complaint is not resolved in this first conference, the student
initiates the grievance procedure by making an appointment to see the
RC Director of Academic Services. This appointment shall be made
within one week of the student's conversation with the instructor.
Only under highly unusual circumstances will the Residential College
consider an appeal initiated after this deadline.
The Director of Academic Services shall, if possible, serve as a liaison
between student and instructor and attempt to resolve the complaint.
4. If resolution at Step 2 or 3 is not possible, the student shall file a written
appeal no later than eight weeks after the grade has been received.
This shall be addressed to the Residential College Board on Academic
Standing. The Board shall solicit a written response to the grievance
from the instructor.
5. Within two weeks after receiving the grievance the RC Board on
Academic Standing shall determine whether any basis for a Grade
Review Hearing exists.
6. Even if the Board determines that the student has not demonstrated
sufficient grounds for a Grade Review Hearing, the student may still
request such a hearing. This request must be submitted to the Director
of Academic Services no later than one week after the student receives
the Board's decision.
If a Grade Review Hearing is to take place, either by determination of
the Board or at the request of the student, that hearing shall be
scheduled within a reasonable period of time after it has been
determined to be necessary. The grieving student shall be notified in
writing of the time and place of the hearing. The Grade Grievance
Committee shall consist of the Director of Academic Services (ex
officio), an advisor from the Board on Academic Standing, an outside
faculty member, the Residential College Director, the program head of
the course in question, and other students in that course, chosen at
random from students who have taken the course.
7. All disputed work shall be available to the student, instructor, and
members of the appeals committee at or before the time of the hearing.
The student and instructor shall both appear before the Appeals
Committee and may present their arguments and additional supporting
documents.
8. The Committee shall deliberate privately after student and instructor
have presented their arguments.
9. If the Committee finds that the instructor has not acted fairly or
properly, it should attempt to persuade the instructor to change the
grade. Should this attempt prove unsuccessful, the Committee may then
determine if some alternative action is acceptable (e.g., allowing the
student to drop the course, permitting the course to be expunged from
the record, or agreeing to award partial credit for the course). The
instructor's consent before implementing any such decision is desirable,
but not required.
10. The instructor and student shall be promptly notified in writing of the
Committee's decision. A copy of the letter shall be forwarded to the
Residential College Board on Academic standing for inclusion in the
student's record.

Once this procedure has been exhausted, there is no other appeal procedure
in the Residential College or in LS&A or at the University of Michigan.