Grade Appeal Forms
Purpose
In the interest of due process, the College provides an appeal process for a student who believes that a recorded final grade does not accurately reflect his/her academic performance in a course. Grades can be appealed in instances where a student believes that an inaccurate final grade has been issued such as arbitrary grade issuance, inconsistent grading practice, or calculation error. For issues of academic dishonesty, please refer to the College's Student Code of Conduct.
Policy
As the initiator of the process, the burden of proof is on the student to demonstrate the grade is inaccurate. It is incumbent upon the student, while attempting to resolve the issue, to strictly adhere to the established appeal procedure.
Procedure
The following procedure must be completed in consecutive order within the published guidelines and timeframes or the appeal will not be reviewed. In order to support effective resolution, the student should clearly outline how the appeal meets the aforementioned conditions of a grade appeal as well as the intended outcome being sought. Use of the Grade Appeal Form is required. To provide a better understanding regarding the grade appeal policy, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section below.
- Level One – Informal Procedure: Student contacts the faculty member in an attempt to resolve the issue. This must happen by email, phone, or in person within 30 calendar days after the course has ended. At the same time, student must email gradeappeal@bhcc.edu, to leave their name and intent to appeal and to receive guidance on the process. The faculty member has 10 calendar days to respond to the complaint.
- Level Two – Formal Procedure: If student is not able to resolve concerns informally with the faculty member, he/she may proceed to level two by completing an online Academic Grade Appeal Form. Under type of action being requested, choose Level 2, Step 1 formal grievance.
Student will be notified in writing by the Student Grievance Officer (SGO), confirming the receipt of the grievance. Student has 10 calendar days of receiving notification to either submit additional documentation to support the grievance or request that the grievance be processed (Level 2-Step 1).
The SGO will deliver the grievance and all supporting documents, if any, to the faculty member within 5 days. The faculty member will forward a written response to the SGO or respond online within 10 days of receipt of the grievance. The SGO will then forward the faculty member’s response to student within 5 days.
If student is not satisfied with the faculty member’s decision and wishes to file a final appeal (supervisor review), a Level Two, Step Two grievance, the student has 10 calendar days to file another appeal. Under type of action being requested, student must choose Level 2, Step 2 formal grievance. The Academic Dean will investigate and forward a written decision to the student and the faculty member within 10 days of receipt of the grievance. This decision is final and cannot be appealed further. For more information, contact gradeappeal@bhcc.edu or call the Dean of Students Office at 617-228-2408.
Grade Appeal Process FAQ
Questions on grades which you receive during the semester on assignments, quizzes, tests, papers, etc. must be brought to the attention of your course instructor. Only the course instructor can re-grade a paper or review points on a test; no other personnel at the college are authorized to make modifications to the grade or assignments.
All final grades are determined and established by the instructor of record for a course. Grading policies and calculations for a course are presented to students in the course syllabus. You should always present your grade concern first to the instructor for clarification and analysis.
No administrator, faculty, or staff member can change your final grade. Only the instructor of record can change a student’s final grade by processing an official grade change. Students should follow step one of the final grade appeal process and have the grade reviewed by the instructor of record. If you do not believe that your grade was correctly determined and you have already discussed your concerns with your instructor, then you should follow step two of the final grade appeal process for a further review of your grade.
You should follow the official final grade appeal process. Please remember that the grade you receive should be a record of your performance in the course. You may attend a class in its entirety and still receive a poor grade if your level of work in the course did not reach minimum competencies for that course. The final grade appeal process reviews how your grade was determined. It should be noted that it is not a reason for a final grade appeal if you do not agree with the teaching methods of an instructor.
The deadline to file a grade appeal is 30 calendar days from the day the class ends.
Download the grade appeal deadlines list for Summer 2019 - Spring 2020
The grade appeal process may take several weeks to a couple months.
The Dean of Students Office assists students in understanding and using the appeal process. The staff facilitates correspondence with the student appeal, the faculty member and/or the Academic Dean and assures that all timelines are adhered to in the process. They are not involved in any of the actual details, decisions, or outcomes except to facilitate communication.
You include the course ID/section #/Title (ex/ MAN111-01), your name, BHCC ID, phone number, and email address. Indicate your instructor’s name and the semester for which you completed the course. Provide a detailed statement of all facts, documents and materials that support your appeal and a detailed description of the outcome you desire. Please note: anything written will be read by the faculty member.
You should make several attempts to contact the instructor before you seek out other assistance. Email gradeappeal@bhcc.edu if you need assistance.
Students with questions about the process should email gradeappeal@bhcc.edu or contact the Dean of Students Office at 617-228-2408.