2012 - 2013 catalog - Delta College
2012 - 2013 catalog - Delta College
2012 - 2013 catalog - Delta College
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Disputed Final Grade Policy<br />
Student Guide For Disputed Final Grade<br />
The process involved in deciding to pursue a remedy to a final grade that<br />
you are disputing is not easy. Because of the emotional stress and strain<br />
that may accompany this process, you should follow these basic steps<br />
toward evaluating whether there is factual merit to your dispute and<br />
how you need to organize the facts so that others involved might agree<br />
with your dispute and support a resulting change in your final grade.<br />
Because <strong>Delta</strong> is a college-level adult environment, our philosophy is<br />
that students are self-sufficient, independent and responsible participants<br />
in the interactive, give-and-take, and subjective learning process.<br />
There is a human element on the side of the student and on the side of<br />
the instructor in every class situation. The human element means that<br />
portions of a final grade that may be subjective in nature are always the<br />
prerogative of the instructor.<br />
A grade dispute must be based on correctable items or issues. For example,<br />
you must be able to point to concrete factors that have affected your<br />
final grade—points were left out of the grading total; an exam, project<br />
or presentation was scored incorrectly or not counted in the final tally;<br />
a project or some extra-credit work did not get factored into the final<br />
point total, etc. Examples like these can be verified or discovered by the<br />
instructor and/or division chairperson as they respond to your dispute.<br />
Since a final grade assignment is made on an individual basis, the<br />
dispute procedure can only be used by an individual questioning his<br />
or her own grade and cannot be used by one individual on behalf of a<br />
group of individuals.<br />
Grounds for Appeal:<br />
There are only three grounds for a student grade appeal, and any of<br />
these grounds may be sufficient to warrant an appeal.<br />
1. The assignment of a grade using standards other than that described<br />
on the course outline, syllabus, appropriate addendums or program<br />
handbooks.<br />
2. The assignment of a grade using a method other than that used for<br />
the other students in the class.<br />
3. The assignment of a grade in a manner inconsistent with <strong>College</strong><br />
policy, rules and regulations.<br />
Evaluation Strategy 1:<br />
Your first step when considering a final grade dispute should be to revisit<br />
the course syllabus and compare its elements to where you believean<br />
error in grading occurred. The initial syllabus is very important to<br />
your evaluation of how or whether to proceed. It was your “roadmap”<br />
for the course and should contain the expectations, standards, and<br />
measurements regarding how a final grade would be achieved. In this<br />
evaluation you should be able to break your grade down into its various<br />
pieces – quizzes, papers, projects, presentations, exams, and elements<br />
of class attendance requirements and participation.<br />
Evaluation Strategy 2:<br />
When considering a dispute, this part of your evaluation is critical. You<br />
need to understand that learning style differences, needing a certain grade<br />
for transfer, meeting a prerequisite, or simply needing or expecting to<br />
do better in a course, are not disputable elements. These elements may<br />
have had a legitimate impact on your final grade, but it is expected that<br />
they would have been addressed much earlier in the course experience<br />
and in ways that would support the college-level independence, selfsufficiency<br />
and personal responsibility pointed out earlier.<br />
Evaluation Strategy 3:<br />
If after careful self-reflection in steps 1 and 2 you believe that the appeal<br />
of your final grade is still solid and tangible, then you should go<br />
to the more official step of notifying the Grade Ombudsman, Karen<br />
Treadway (LLIC), Phone (989) 686-9275 or email kgtreadw@delta.edu.<br />
The following outlines the basic steps and timelines contained in the<br />
Disputed Final Grade Policy, 4.025. A complete copy is available from<br />
the Grade Ombudsman.<br />
Informal Process<br />
A student who wishes to discuss concerns regarding a final grade<br />
will contact, in order, the faculty member, the division Chair, and the<br />
Academic Dean. The student must start the informal process no later<br />
than 10 days following the date the grade was due. At no time may the<br />
informal process extend beyond 25 days after the college due date for<br />
submission of final grades. The faculty member and the student will<br />
attempt to resolve the differences. The division chair may be asked to<br />
assist with the conflict resolution. The Academic Dean will review the<br />
merits of the appeal and make any necessary referrals to the appropriate<br />
person if a process is to continue. The Grade Ombudsman may be<br />
consulted at any stage of the process.<br />
Formal Process<br />
1. To formally appeal a final grade for a course, the student must<br />
contact the Grade Ombudsman within 5 days after the conference<br />
with the Academic Dean.<br />
2. The student will write, within five days of meeting with the Grade<br />
Ombudsman, a one to three page formal word processed statement<br />
that explains the circumstances of the disputed grade. The statement<br />
will be given to the faculty member by the Ombudsman.<br />
3. The faculty member will write a one to three page formal word<br />
processed statement of response and submit it to the Grade Ombudsman<br />
within five days of receiving the student’s statement.<br />
4. The grade Ombudsman will supply the student with a copy of the<br />
faculty member’s statement and supply the division chair with a<br />
copy of both the student’s and instructor’s statement.<br />
5. The Grade Appeal Board is composed of seven members: four faculty<br />
members, (three appointed by the Faculty Executive Committee<br />
and one appointed by the chair from the Division which offers<br />
the course in which the grade is being appealed); the appropriate<br />
academic dean; one Student & Educational Services representative<br />
appointed by the Vice President of Student & Educational Services;<br />
and one student from the Student/Senate Liaison Committee, appointed<br />
by the Senate President.<br />
6. The Grade Appeal Board will meet within 10 days of receiving the<br />
appeal at a time when both parties are available to respond to the<br />
Board’s questions. Under special circumstances, alternates may<br />
be appointed to the Grade Appeal Board by the person originally<br />
responsible for the appointment of that position.<br />
7. By majority vote, the Grade Appeal Board will make one of the<br />
following decisions within two days of the meeting:<br />
• The appeal is dismissed and the grade remains.<br />
• The grade dispute is resolved by changing the grade, or changing<br />
the grade under specific conditions. All members of the<br />
Board will determine if the grade should be changed and the<br />
faculty members on the Board will decide the specific grade to<br />
be awarded.<br />
8. Decisions reached by the Grade Appeal Board may be appealed to<br />
the President of the <strong>College</strong>. The President will only hear appeals<br />
that involve claims of procedural mistakes made in the process<br />
defined above. The President may:<br />
• Dismiss the appeal<br />
• Return the case to the Grade Appeal Board for rehearing.<br />
<strong>Delta</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2012</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
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