Policy Central

Policy: Grade Appeal

Purpose

To outline the expectations and requirements involved in a review of the final grade for a coursework unit of study.

Overview

The University is committed to promoting excellence in its learning and teaching. The final grade a student is awarded through this learning and teaching is a reflection of their performance against the stated aims and objectives of a unit of study. It is a permanent record of the performance of the student. It is imperative that the University has in place policies and procedures to ensure that the grade that is awarded is appropriate and correct. The emphasis is on procedural fairness – that is, on the procedures used in the grade appeal process, rather than the actual outcome of the appeal. It requires a fair and proper procedure be used when making a decision.

The University expects students to take an active role in their learning and to assimilate and incorporate feedback received throughout their studies. Students are encouraged to discuss their progress with relevant teaching staff and to reflect on their expectations against the stated learning outcomes of each unit they attempt.

In promoting excellence in its learning and teaching, the University is committed to ensuring it continuously improves. It has therefore built-in a requirement for a review of the grade appeal process as part of its quality assurance processes.

Scope

This policy applies to any student enrolled in a Macquarie University coursework unit.

It is relevant to all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students; research students enrolled in coursework units; academic and professional staff involved in the teaching, assessment, management and review of units.

It relates specifically to the final grade a student receives for a unit of study and not for results in individual assessment tasks including examinations.

The Policy

The University will operate a quality assured system for the recording and awarding of a final grade for each student officially enrolled in a coursework unit of study.

A student who has been awarded a final grade for a unit has the right to request a review of that grade.

Coursework units involve continuous assessment. A student is to have sought feedback on individual assessment tasks prior to the award of a final grade.

Grade Review

This is the first step to be undertaken. This is not part of the Grade Appeal process.

Each Faculty will establish processes to manage requests from students for a review of their final grade.
Where a unit includes an examination, the Grade Review process will allow a student to review their examination paper.

The Grade Review process will ensure, at a minimum, that there has been no clerical error in the determination of the student's final grade.

Grade Appeal

A formal Grade Appeal must be supported by evidence. Where a unit includes an examination, the student is to have reviewed their examination paper prior to submitting a Grade Appeal. Grounds for a Grade Appeal are limited to:

the Unit Convenor did not provide the Unit Guide as required
the assessment requirements as specified in the Unit Guide were varied in an unreasonable way
feedback was not provided as specified by the Unit Convenor or as detailed in the Unit Guide
due regard was not paid to the evidence of illness or misadventure that was submitted by the specified date
the student has been disadvantaged in some way due to the conduct of an assessment task
the assessor's judgement was not objectively applied because of prejudice against the individual*

*Appeals claiming prejudice will be reviewed by at least two members of the academic staff, including either the Head of Department or the Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching.

There will be a two-stepped approach to Grade Appeal:

Step 1:
Written submission by the student to the Head of Department responsible for teaching the unit. The submission must include detailed evidence for the Grade Appeal. The Head of Department will review the submission and notify the student in writing of the outcome.

Step 2:
Where the student believes there has been a procedural irregularity in the consideration of their Grade Appeal, they may submit a written appeal to the University Grading Appeals Committee. A Step 2 submission is limited to procedural grounds only.

Forms and Deadlines

The absolute deadline for submission of a Grade Appeal will be six months from the published result date for the relevant unit.

The University will publish deadlines, details and forms associated with the Grade Appeal process.

The Coursework Studies Committee will approve Grade Appeal submission and response dates for each study period. These will take into account enrolment deadlines for subsequent study periods.

A Grade Appeal must be submitted on the relevant Grade Appeal form.

A Grade Appeal will be acknowledged and the student notified of the outcome in accordance with its agreed procedures.

Each Grade Appeal will be considered on its own merits.

Outcome

A Grade Review or Grade Appeal may result in no change, an increase or a reduction to the awarded Standardised Numerical Grade.

The University will ensure the absolute minimum number of staff will have access to the documentation related to a Grade Appeal.

Report

The Executive Dean of each Faculty will report to the Dean of Students by 1 April each year with a summary of:

• The number and type of Step 1 Grade Appeal submissions received during the last calendar year, by unit and Faculty.
• The outcome of each application.
• How this compares with previous years.
• The issues raised through the Grade Appeal process and the strategy to be implemented to address these issues.

The University will implement quality enhancements strategies to reduce the number of Grade Appeals received.

Policy Information


Contact Officer	Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science
Date Approved	11 August 2009
Approval Authority	Academic Senate
Date of Commencement	For units with a teaching start date of 1 January 2010 or later.
Amendment Dates	N/A
Date for Next Review	August 2012
Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines	Assessment Policy Assessment Policy – Code of Practice Assessment Procedure Examination Policy Special Consideration Policy
Policies superseded by this policy	The Appeals Against Grades processes outlined in the University Handbooks (both published and online versions), the Academic Manual and any local policies (Faculty or Department) are replaced by this policy.

Macquarie University