VIII. Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures

Grade Reassessment

Methods or Criteria Used in Establishing Final Grades

A student may request a grade reassessment on the basis of the Methods or Criteria used in establishing the final grades in a course. Methods or Criteria is defined as the application of the assessment expectations, the assessment mechanisms and the grading standards as provided in the course outline, assignment sheets, and any associated grading rubrics used in the course. The assessment of work must always be based on the criteria that are established in those documents. If the student believes that the methods and criteria provided by the instructor do not comply with the grading procedures established by Senate, the grade reassessment request may fall more appropriately under the procedures for Misapplication of an Academic Regulation (see below). Students unsure of which grade reassessment process to follow, should seek advice from the Chair/Director, their program counselling office or Student Judicial Services in the University Secretariat.

Students who have evidence the Methods or Criteria, as established by the course outline, assignment sheets, or any associated rubrics for the course, have been applied by the instructor in an unreasonable, biased, or inconsistent fashion, may request the Chair/Director initiate a grade reassessment. The Chair/Director shall review the grading of any assignment under question. Options in the course of the review include: a) leaving the grade unchanged, b) increase the grade, or c) lower the grade.

Procedures for conduct of the grade reassessment

1. Students who have evidence the methods or criteria have been applied by the instructor in an unreasonable, biased or inconsistent fashion should discuss their concern with the instructor in writing (via email) as soon as possible and no later than the 10th class day of the subsequent semester.

2. If the concern is not addressed and/or under review within five working days, the student may submit the request in writing to the Chair/Director. The request should be submitted as soon as possible. The request must state the reasons for the request, demonstrate clear bias, unreasonableness, or inconsistency and include supplemental documentation (copy of the assignment(s) in question, email correspondence if relevant, etc.)

3. The Chair/Director reviews the course outline, assignment sheets and associated rubrics and requests the instructor to document the methods and criteria employed in grading the assignment in question and respond to the student’s concerns in writing to the Chair.

4. The Chair/Director reviews the matter with the instructor and the student independently and determines whether there is sufficient evidence to reasonably support a finding that the methods or criteria have been applied by the instructor in an unreasonable, biased or inconsistent fashion and, if so, whether a mutually agreeable solution can be achieved. If the request from the student does not meet this standard, the Chair/Director informs the student that the request is denied. The student has the right to appeal the decision of the Chair/Director to the Senate Committee on Student Petitions.

5. If resolved in Step 4, the Chair/Director informs the student and faculty member of the grade change in writing via email and submits an Undergraduate Grade Change form to the Office of Registrarial Services (ORS).

6. If a resolution cannot be obtained through Step 4 and the Chair/Director agrees the student request meets the standard set out in section 4 above, the Chair/Director initiates an independent assessment of the assignment by choosing a neutral assessor from the faculty members of their department/school or a faculty member from another department/school with sufficient expertise to assess the assignment under review.

7. The Chair/Director provides the neutral assessor with a clean/ungraded copy of the assignment, the course outline, assignment sheets and associated grading rubrics.

8. Based on the material provided by the student, the faculty member, and any independent assessor, the Chair/Director shall determine whether or not the methods and criteria employed were appropriate and will also determine whether or not the student’s grade will change.

9. The Chair/Director communicates the decision to both the student and the Faculty member in writing via email and if there is a change to the final grade, the Chair/Director submits an Undergraduate Grade Change form to the Office of Registrarial Services.

10. The student has a right to appeal the decision of the Chair/Director to the Senate Committee on Student Petitions.