7210-16 Grades Review Policy

Purpose

1. To provide for a review of final grades upon the request of the student or of the College.
2. To decide to retain or change a final grade that was assigned in a course by the teacher.
3. To ensure that requests for reviews are processed expeditiously and that students are informed in a timely fashion of the results of their request.

Policy

1. Each department shall form a Grades Review Committee consisting of two standing members and the teacher whose mark is being reviewed, as well as a substitute in cases of non-availability of the teacher whose mark is being reviewed. Departments which have several disciplines or specializations may have a committee for each discipline or specialization, or for groups of disciplines. The departments shall appoint their Grades Review Committee by October 15th of each year and inform the Registrar, the Dean of the Faculty, and the Academic Dean of the membership.
2. Students who believe that their final grade in a course is in error should first request a mark update in accordance with the mark update policy within 15 working days after the issuance of the transcripts. This will assure that the teacher in the course has a chance to review the mark and correct any errors.
3. After receiving the response to the mark update request, students who wish the grade to be reviewed by a Grades Review Committee should fill out the Grades Review Request form and submit it to the Registrar's Office. The deadline for filing the request is the midpoint of the semester following the semester in which the grade was given. In all cases, the student must have at least five working days after receipt of the mark update response to file a Grades Review Request.
4. The student can request on the form to make a presentation to the Grades Review Committee and can be accompanied by one person of his/her choice from within the Vanier community.
5. The student and the person chosen as companion have the right to remain in the meeting at all times when information is being given to the Committee. The deliberations of the Committee, however, are otherwise held in camera.
6. If the student asks to make a presentation, then the Chairperson convenes, in writing, a meeting in a neutral place (e.g., a classroom) within ten working days. The notice of the meeting must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting and the meeting must take place within 5 working days of the notice of meeting.
7. If the student has not requested to make a presentation, then the Grades Review Committee shall review the work submitted and render its decision within 10 working days of receipt of the Grades Review Request form.
8. Minutes of the meeting shall be taken by a member of the Committee and they shall be kept in the office of the Chairperson for two semesters following the semester in which the mark was given. Then the minutes should be destroyed.
9. Students have the obligation to submit with their request for a grade review the original of all corrected work in their possession which they wish to have reviewed. In order to do this, students should keep the original marked works for this purpose. Students are strongly urged to keep photocopies of all documents submitted to a Grades Review Committee.
10. Faculty members have the obligation to provide the Grades Review Committee with the course plan, originals of student work in their possession, and any other documents relevant to the case required by the Committee. If they are not returned to the students, faculty members should keep all assignments which count in the final grade for at least two semesters. If faculty members are to be on a leave of absence, or are otherwise officially unavailable, then they must arrange for their department coordinator to have access to their mark records and any student work that they retained.
11. The Grades Review Committees are empowered to change final grades which are submitted to them for review. There is no appeal of their decisions. However, the Academic Dean can require the committee to review the grades again if it is demonstrated that a committee did not follow procedures.
12. The decision of the Committee, based on majority vote, may consist of the following:
    1. to have the assigned grade stand or either be raised or lowered;
    2. if the information presented indicates there is a problem that is outside the mandate of the Committee, the Committee will refer the complainant to an appropriate College procedure. The Committee can also make recommendations to either party or to the department concerning procedural matters, which arise in the course of their deliberations. If the recommendations require confidentiality, it must be respected.
13. The reasons for the decision affecting the grade shall form part of the decision of the Grades Review Committee, which are transmitted to the student in writing or orally by one of the members of the committee. The reasons will also be communicated to the teacher if the teacher was not available for the meeting.
14. The Committee will send the teacher, the student, the Registrar and the Dean of the appropriate Faculty a copy of the form containing its decision within 7 days of its final meeting. The rationale for the decision shall be communicated to the student by one of the members of the Committee either orally or in writing, within 7 days of the final meeting. All decisions must be communicated no later than the Friday of the 14th week of the semester following the one in which the grade was received.
15. Upon receipt of the report of the Grades Review Committee, the Registrar maintains or changes the grade in accordance with the decision of the Committee and issues a new transcript if there is a change.
16. The activities of the Committee are to be carried out in confidence.