Grade Changes
A change of grade is made only when an error has been discovered in the evaluation or recording of a grade. In no case will a grade be revised in accordance with criteria other than those applied to all students in the class (e.g., extra credits cannot be granted to one student but not offered to all in the class). Action to change a grade must be initiated before the end of the second succeeding semester or session. For more information, see rule 3335-8-23.
Grade Grievance Procedures
If a student believes that a procedural error in grading was made as defined in the OSU Board of Trustees rule 3335-8-23 paragraph (A), the student should meet with the instructor. If the instructor does not agree that a procedural error was made, the student may request a review by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs shall respond to the student no later than thirty days after the student has requested a review.
Upon receipt of the Associate Dean of Academic Affair’s response, if the issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student, the student may within two weeks request in writing, by duplicate submission to the College of Nursing Dean, Vice Dean, and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, a review by a College of Nursing Faculty Review Committee appointed by the Vice Dean. The Faculty Review Committee shall consult both the student and the instructor and shall determine the validity of the grade grievance due to grading procedures as described in the OSU Board of Trustees rule 3335-8-23 paragraph (B). The Faculty Review Committee will provide its findings in writing to the student, the instructor, and the College of Nursing Dean, Vice Dean, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, within thirty days of the student’s written request for a Faculty Review Committee.
Unresolved cases of grade grievance due to grading procedures are subject to paragraph (B) of rule 3335-8-23; unresolved cases of grade grievance due to other causes are not subject to paragraph (B) of this rule. For more information see the OSU Board of Trustees university rule 3335-8-23.
Faculty Review Committee Composition
- The Vice Dean appoints a Faculty Review Committee within 2 weeks of receipt of the student’s written request for a Faculty Review Committee.
- The Faculty Review Committee will consist of one representative from either the Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Committees or an appropriate alternate, and two other faculty members, all of whom are voting members and can review the grade grievance without prejudice.
- The Vice Dean appoints the chair of the Faculty Review Committee from among the three members of the committee.
- If the grievance concerns a grade for a clinical course, a clinical faculty member shall serve as a member of the Faculty Review Committee.
- The College Secretary serves as a non-voting ex officio member of the Faculty Review Committee.
Faculty Review Committee Procedures
- The Vice Dean provides the Hearing Committee with the grade grievance documentation from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and arranges for a Faculty Review Committee meeting with the student.
- The Faculty Review Committee consults the instructor for the course prior to the meeting with the student.
- The student may have one person present at the Faculty Review Committee meeting to provide advice and/or support. The support person may only counsel the student and may not actively participate in the committee consultation with the student.
- The student will complete and sign a Student Consent Form to authorize the presence of the support person at the meeting and for discussion of the student’s academic record with the support person at the Faculty Review Committee meeting.
- When applicable, an Authorization to Release Information form (FERPA form) also will be completed and signed by the student to provide authorization for the release of information in educational records to a support person who is present at the Faculty Review Committee meeting, which will disclose the name and address of the person/agency to receive information and the purpose of the information to be released in relation to the role of the support person at the meeting.
- At the start of the meeting, the Faculty Review Committee chairperson provides an orientation to procedures, including the confidentiality of committee proceedings.
- The Faculty Review Committee chairperson shall make a tape recording of the hearing.
- There will be the opportunity at the Faculty Review committee meeting for the student to present his/her concern about his/her grade in relation to procedural error in grading. Unresolved cases of grade grievance due to grading procedures are subject to paragraph (B) of rule 3335-8-23; unresolved cases of grade grievance due to other causes are not subject to paragraph (B) of this rule.
- The Faculty Review Committee will have the opportunity to discuss the matter with the student until any necessary information has been gathered and clarified. Following this process, the student and any support person will be excused from the room so that the committee can go into a closed untaped session to discuss the evidence and render a decision.
- An outcome of either “no procedural error in grading” or “procedural error in grading” is based on the greater weight of the evidence. The Faculty Review Committee will provide its findings in writing to the student, the instructor, and the College of Nursing Dean, Vice Dean, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, within thirty days of the student’s written request for a Faculty Review Committee.