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Changing Grades

If you receive permission for an Incomplete in a course and then complete the remaining work for the course, the instructor can change the X or Y to a regular course grade. The instructor will receive notification from the Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising indicating that an X or Y has been approved, and he or she can enter the new grade through CAESAR.

The only other situation in which a grade change is permitted is to correct a clerical or computational error.

Grade changes requested for the following reasons are not allowed:

Grade changes requested for the following reasons are not allowed:
  • Redoing work or submitting extra work;
  • Reexamination;
  • A makeup examination administered without authorization by the Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising;
  • Reevaluation of one student's work after the grades of others in the class have been submitted to the Registrar's Office.

Questions Regarding Grades

Weinberg College takes seriously faculty members' academic freedom; how they structure their courses and grade student work are central pillars of that freedom. Weinberg also takes seriously the principle that all students deserve to be graded fairly and equitably. As a student, you have the right to see your graded work and to receive an explanation of any grade based on the published grading policy in a class. Faculty have the exclusive responsibility of grading academic work in their classes.

Grounds for a dispute

Students may dispute a grade in these situations: 1) a clerical or computational error, or 2) inequitable or capricious grading.  "Inequitable" grading would treat similarly situated student work differently without a valid academic reason. "Capricious" grading is arbitrary, inconsistent with the course's stated grading policy, or based on factors unrelated to academic performance. A disagreement with the evaluative judgment of the professor or a course policy should not be the basis of a dispute or any resulting change of grade.

Faculty cannot make changes to final grades in the following incidences: the revision of an assignment previously graded; the submission of extra work completed after the end of the quarter; the regrading of work after other students’ grades have been submitted; or in response to student lobbying (without the presence of an error). The Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising will not grant such requests.

If you have a concern about a grade, the first step is to discuss it directly with your professor and ask for them to review the matter. This initial outreach should happen within two weeks of the first day of the subsequent term. (Be aware that faculty do not always respond to emails during university breaks.)

Pending the result of that conversation, you may appeal to the department chair/program director if you can demonstrate that the grade you received is in error or a result of capricious or inequitable grading. You must provide what evidence you have to the chair/director in writing. The role of the chair/director is to consult with the faculty member and ultimately to consider your evidence within the context of the policies of the course. If the chair/director declines to recommend a change of grade, you may appeal the decision to the Weinberg College Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, who will review all written materials and work with all parties involved to make a final determination. There is no appeal to the Provost's Office for grade disputes.

These procedures apply to most forms of grade dispute. However, students advancing grade appeals on the grounds of discrimination based on a legally protected category should consult the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance and follow the corresponding process.