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Faculty senate wants change for student grade appeal
Kim King, Journalist
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Faculty senate members have proposed changes to the process for a final grade appeal. Policy 3130 eliminates appeals based on assignments or exams students feel are graded too harshly, unreasonably or by unrealistic standards.
The proposal states these are “issues of professional judgment” and within the prerogative of the instructor.
The faculty senate also proposes the removal of student representation.
ASBSU Sen. Chase Johnson is sponsoring a resolution to recommend a compromise.
“I am uncomfortable with one person making a decision and that decision being final. It should not be up to the sole discretion of the provost,” Johnson said.
The former policy included an academic grievance board composed of seven faculty members and seven student senate members.
“No policy is going to be perfect,” he said. “These are gray areas open to individual interpretation. Faculty still have to have a say over course material, and whether or not a student meets those intellectual standards is up to the professor.”
He said university code violation should be grounds for a grade appeal, but proving an allegation would take a preponderance of evidence.
“We are just students, so how can we say we know more than a professor,” he said. “I have had grades I didn’t feel were fair, but I accepted them. It was a learning experience and it made me a stronger person.”
Johnson said his main objective is to bring student representation back into the process rather than dispute the issue of grade appeal.
“You have to understand that even though students are excluded in their proposal, faculty members are as well,” he said.
The new procedure will begin with the professor and then be presented to the head of the department. If the problem is not resolved the student will be directed to the dean of the college involved. From there it will go to the provost office for a final decision.
ASBSU President Trevor Grigg collaborated with Johnson to recommend a council of seven members to maintain student involvement.
The council is composed of two faculty members, two students, a dean, the Vice-President for Student Affairs and Vice-President of ASBSU.
“We have a long way to go on this,” said Johnson. “We have worked hard and spent time ensuring a fair procedure, but they don’t have to listen to us. I take a humble stance in this and realize I am just an analyst, not a judge.”
ASBSU Sen. Aaron Henretty said he is in support of legislation to protect the rights of students.
MITCH ESPLIN/THE ARBITER Aaron Henretty considers this legislation.
“We can’t give teachers full control,” he said. “If I have an issue, I want students and faculty involved so there will be two points of view. But there are not a lot of students familiar with the procedure.”
A small student sampling on campus confirmed his statement. Few knew a grievance policy existed.
“… If I don’t like my grade and feel it is unfair, I can do something about it?” said sophomore Kyle McCormick, a history major from Boise. “But will it really matter if teachers are giving the grades and then teachers determine the outcome of an appeal?” he said.
Other students said every effort should be made to ensure fairness, even if it means an additional compromise between the staff and students.
Policy 3130 and Johnson’s resolution will be presented to the Academic Standards Committee and then forwarded to the faculty senate for reconsideration.
“I expect a discussion about our recommendations at the next faculty senate meeting on Nov. 10,” Johnson said.
The meeting is scheduled at 3:15 p.m. in the SUB, Hatch A ballroom, and is open to the public.