Grade Appeal Process and Academic Standing Policy

Grade Appeal Process

The following outlines the steps to appeal a grade in the School of Architecture:

1. The appeals process begins when the student who contests a grade in a course discusses with the faculty member the reasons for the grade the faculty member has given the student. The faculty member shares with the student the specific reasons and metrics regarding the grade given to the student. The faculty member does so by retaining confidentiality with respect to grades given to other students in the course in any semester of any year in which the course was taught by the particular faculty member.
2. Should the student who contests the grade not be satisfied for any reason with the explanation that the course’s faculty member has provided, the student then requests the Associate Dean* to initiate a formal appeal.
3. The formal appeal moves forward as follows:

   a. The Associate Dean* will appoint three faculty members to a panel that will review the student’s work and the faculty member’s rationale for the grade.

   b. The Associate Dean* will coordinate with the student, the faculty member who has given the grade, and the panel members to establish a day and time when they all can meet via WebEx. The entire WebEx session will be recorded.

   c. The exact day and time of the formal appeal meeting should be established as quickly as feasible with respect to everyone’s schedules.

   d. Once the day and time have been fixed, the Associate Dean* will act as impartial moderator of the proceedings. See items 4 – 10 for how the proceedings are conducted.

4. The student will have no more than 10-20 minutes to present to the three faculty panelists and the Associate Dean* his/her case as to why the grade should be re-evaluated and changed. The panel will ask the student relevant questions regarding the work and the student’s reasons for the appeal. The faculty member who gave the grade will not be present during the student’s presentation.
5. When the student has completed his/her presentation, the student will exit the WebEx and the faculty member who gave the grade will enter. The faculty member will have no more than 10-20 minutes to explain to the panel the reasons for the grade given to the student who is making the appeal. The panel will ask the faculty member who has given the grade for any clarifications or explanations for the grade given. Once this meeting with the faculty member giving the grade has concluded, that faculty member will exit the WebEx.
6. The three panelists will deliberate their decision on the status of the student’s grade appeal. The moderator, i.e., the Associate Dean*, will be present during the deliberation and provide any clarifications regarding the process but will refrain from tendering any opinion on any aspect of the panel’s deliberations or conclusions.
7. When the panel reaches a decision, it will share it with the moderator, i.e., the Associate Dean*, during the WebEx and within 24 hours after the WebEx session has terminated, it will provide to the moderator, i.e., the Associate Dean*, a written summary of the decision and their reasons in support of the decision. The panel reserves the right at its discretion to recommend one of three outcomes: a) the grade remains as originally given to the student, b) the grade may be elevated, or c) in the case where the original grade was not an F, the grade may be lowered.
8. The moderator, i.e., the Associate Dean*, will present the panel’s written decision to the Dean. The panel and the moderator, i.e., the Associate Dean*, should be available to provide the Dean with any additional clarification or insights on any aspect of the panel’s decision.
9. The Dean is the final arbiter regarding the grade given to the students. Therefore, the panel’s proposed status for the grade may, at the Dean’s discretion, be changed or supported in accordance with a) through c) in item 7 above.
10. Within 48 hours of the Dean’s decision on the grade, the Dean will meet with the student either in person or remotely to convey the final decision on the student’s grade appeal.

*NOTE: If the grade being contested was given in a course taught by the Associate Dean, The Dean will appoint another faculty member to act as the appeal moderator.

 

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Academic Standing Policy

Rensselaer Architecture adheres to the institute-wide academic standing policy set out by Advising & Learning Assistance Center (ALAC).

For detailed information regarding academic standing policy, see here.