Information for Prospective Students Information for First-Year Students Information for Transfer Students Information for International Students Learning Communities, Study Abroad, Theme Semester Calendars Quick Reference Forms Listings Table of Contents SAA Search Feature Academic Advising, Concentration Advising, How-tos, and Degree Requirements Academic Standards Board, Academic Discipline, Petitions, and Appeals SAA Advisors and Support Staff

The Residential College

(Revised June, 1992)

Introduction


It is the policy of the Residential College that RC instructors are solely responsible for assessing and evaluating student work. Nevertheless, RC students 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 the RC students, faculty, and administration as to grade grievance procedures.

Steps in the Grade Grievance Procedure

  1. Within three weeks of receiving verbal or written notice of the grade, the student shall see an RC academic counselor, who will explain these grade grievance procedures.
  2. Within two weeks of seeing the counselor, 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 Coordinator of Academic Programs. 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 Coordinator of Academic Programs 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 Coordinator of Academic Programs 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 Coordinator of Academic Programs (ex officio), a counselor 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.
  8. The student and instructor shall both appear before the Appeals Committee and may present their arguments and additional supporting documents.
  9. The Committee shall deliberate privately after student and instructor have presented their arguments.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.

Did you find what you were looking for?
If not, please email us at SAA.Webmaster@umich.edu.

College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Student Academic Affairs
1255 Angell Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1003
Phone:(734) 764-0332 Fax: (734) 764-2772

lsa

University of Michigan | College of LS&A | Student Academic Affairs | LS&A Bulletin Index

This page maintained by LS&A Academic Information and Publications, G415 Mason Hall

Copyright © 2001 The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA +1 734 764-1817

Trademarks of the University of Michigan may not be electronically or otherwise altered or separated from this document or used for any non-University purpose.