<p>Now that all of my grades have been put into Wolverine Access, I found that one of my grades did not match what I was expecting. Seeing this, I immediately contacted the professor to ask for an explanation. He gave me the breakdown for my score, which was over 2% lower than what I should have received (which resulted in a B instead of an A-). He had stated several times in lecture that there would be a curve for the class and yet there wasn’t one given. I was also told by my GSI that I would be receiving additional points back on a paper and this was not given either. I have contacted the professor again about this and I have yet to receive a response.</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone has filed a grade grievance before, and if you have, could you please let me know the likelihood of getting a grade change as a result of this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I have gone through the process twice throughout my time.</p>
<p>The first time was a legit complaint. Class grading consist of 3 exams (30% each) and weekly problem sets (10% total). The average of the first 2 exams were both around 50, and the standard deviation wasn’t that high. I got a 97 on the first exam and 100 on the second, and had gotten 10/10 from every problem set. So heading into the final, I knew I was going to get an A even if I got a 0 in the final. So I informed the professor via email that I won’t be showing up for the final because I fully expect an A regardless. Professor replied that I would receive an F if I fail to show up for the final. So I filed a complaint preemptively, on the basis that according to COE rules, a professor cannot adjust grading criteria laid out previously in the curriculum in any way that are against the favor of a student mid-semester; and since the curriculum mentioned nothing about failing if not attending final, the professor was changing the rule against my favor. It never went through the actual process and the professor retracted his decision. I proceeded to not show up for the final. If any of you have noticed that there’s explicit wording about “failure to attend the final exam will result in an F” in one of the MechEng classes, you know why.</p>
<p>Second time I was just using it as a procedural nuisance to badger a far left nutjob professor who crossed me, similar to how a legal team would legally and rightfully use random pointless legal motions in their tool kit to increase the workload of their opponent. I got an A in that class and argued I should have gotten an A+. Dug through all my email and scrutinized every piece of material on ctools, and cited dozens of “reasons”. It obviously went nowhere (nor did i expect it to go anywhere) but I actually dragged it on for quite long and it sure showered him with paperwork.</p>
<p>I have also threatened grievance filing when professors delay in posting grades but none of that resulted in actual complaints because they usually comply.</p>
<p>Things that enhances your grievance filing:
- A solid reason that is not up to interpretation. Faculties are going to side with their peers naturally, so you need a reason why they can’t.
- A good reason why they should take it seriously and with urgency. Use anything to your advantage. If you are a female and the professor is a male, say the professor might be sexist (and quote some bogus reason why). If you are not white and the professor is, say the professor might be racist (again, quote some bogus reason why, take things out of context if you need to). If you have gone to office hour before, just say that you guys had a heated argument and the professor is taking it out on you by screwing your grades. The key is to throw out something that insinuates bias and malice on the professor’s part.</p>
<p>3) If you know any family friend who practices law, it helps a lot to end your filing with “drafted by ________, attorney at law”. You just need the guy’s permission to do that. I used a family friend. It is an implied threat to sue even though you don’t explicitly say so (basically a bluff that can’t be called because you didn’t actually bluff)</p>
<p>However, on your end… your complaint on curve is not legit.
Many students mistake “a curve” as a bump in grade, when strictly speaking it just means that the grade is going to follow some distribution at the professor’s discretion, which is naturally true regardless of how grades fall out. Even a straight scale is a curve. No one ever says a curve has to be bell shaped that centers around a certain mean.
Unless you can find an inconsistency with the curve (someone with a lower composite score than you ending up with a higher grade for instance), you have no basis for a complaint.</p>
<p>“So I filed a complaint preemptively, on the basis that according to COE rules, a professor cannot adjust grading criteria laid out previously in the curriculum in any way that are against the favor of a student mid-semester”</p>
<p>Could you please show me where this is? Also, what you did was awesome!</p>
<p>From my understanding, Tbeezer12 should still complain because he was supposed to receive additional points and some of his points were unaccounted for (more than 2% lower than expected).</p>
<p>I dont remember exactly where. I spent a lot of time doing the research. But it was in one of those COE guidelines and was in the section regarding the requirement on the professor’s part to have a course curriculum, and to make such available to students.</p>
<p>I agree, that’s why I said he doesn’t have an argument on the curve.</p>
<p>Following the advice in section 2) is probably effective, especially at most universities, which strive to create a culture of equality. It is acceptable only to the those that don’t mind compromising their integrity, trivializing the suffering of those actually affected by racism/sexism, and diminishing the efforts of those that work on their behalf.</p>
<p>I hope your post was tongue in cheek. If so, I apologize for overreacting.</p>
<p>I can understand that I may not be able to do anything about there not being a curve, but I think it’s pretty messed up that I could be promised something on multiple occasions and then it doesn’t happen… I mean what if all 1,400 students in orgo were promised a curve and then there wasn’t one…? Anyways, is it still worth debating the few points back on the paper that I was promised? Unfortunately my GSI never specified the exact number of points I would be getting back so that is making me a little nervous. I also just found out that this grade is the difference between me getting University Honors this semester (unbelievably I would have a 3.49 if my grade stayed the way it is). </p>
<p><em>After further contact with my GSI, she stated that “every attempt was made to bump me up (by giving me additional participation points), but even if we added to your participation it would not have mattered.” Again, more bull</em>***. I received an 80% in participation (participation is worth 5% of the grade so I was docked an entire percentage point) even though I attended and participated in every lecture and discussion. What now makes no sense is that they could have easily have given me a 92% for participation if “every attempt was made to bump me up” to the next cutoff. Not really sure what to do now…</p>
<p>It seems that you’re misunderstanding what a “curve” is. </p>
<p>If you lost points on something you shouldn’t have lost points on, and they agreed that to give you back the points, but didn’t, then try to work out getting points back. Beyond that, I don’t think you have a case.</p>
<p>Don’t give up!</p>
<p>Email your GSI back and tell her that you attended and participated in every lecture and discussion. Don’t give up yet! Keep on fighting!</p>
<p>If you were told that you were going to receive points and never received them, continue to complain. Complain again to your professors and GSI. Make sure to give them the same info you have given us here. State</p>
<p>“I was told I would receive ____ points multiple times throughout the semester because ___. I should receive more participation points because I attended and participated in every lecture and discussion.”</p>
<p>Mention things in the syllabus (only if they help your case).</p>
<p>If your Professor and GSI don’t help you and you still feel that you deserve the points, then complain to a person higher up. It may be the Dean of Undergraduate Education.</p>
<p>I don’t know what school you are in.</p>
<p>If you are in LSA, this may help.</p>
<p>[Grade</a> Grievance | LSA Faculty & Staff | University of Michigan](<a href=“http://www.lsa.umich.edu/facstaff/saa/gradegrievance]Grade”>http://www.lsa.umich.edu/facstaff/saa/gradegrievance)</p>