10. Review of grades

10(A) Review of grade on an individual piece of work

This regulation applies to a review of a single piece of course work, including, but not limited to, tests, computerized tests, examinations, term papers, essays, reports, group projects, practicum and co-op assessments and oral tests/exams.

(a) Students may discuss with the course instructor the mark on any piece of work regardless of its value. For a team-taught course, the co-ordinator of the course will replace the role of the instructor.

(b) Students have the right to request a formal review of the grade assigned to a single piece of work worth at least 25 per cent in the calculation of the final grade in the course, which includes a final examination in a course.

(i) the evaluation of the piece of work is demonstrably unfair;
(ii) the method of evaluation was not consistent among all students in the course;
(iii) there was a miscalculation of the grade assigned to the piece of work; or
(iv) compassionate, health-related or extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student which demonstrably had a direct impact on academic performance. (It is the student(s) responsibility to provide documentation which demonstrates that such circumstances have had a direct impact on the academic performance of the student).

(d) There are two steps to follow for the formal review process:

(i) The piece of work must be discussed with the instructor involved within two weeks of the receipt of the grade for the single piece of work, as provided for in (a) above.
(ii) After this first step and if requested by the student(s) in writing to the Chair of the Department, or Dean of the Faculty if there is no Department or Chair, a review will be conducted by a committee consisting of: (a) the Chair of the department or Dean of the Faculty or designate; (b) the instructor and (c) the student(s).

(iii) Students have the right to meet with the Chair or Dean, or designate, without the instructor present prior to this review.
(iv) The review must be conducted within 7 days after the review with the instructor stipulated in (i) above.
(v) The decision of this review is final and the reasons for the decision will be provided to the student(s) in writing by the Chair or Dean.
(vi) Students who have not requested a grade review of a single piece of work that is reviewable, or who have requested a grade review of a single piece of work and are not satisfied with the result, may not ask for a review of a final grade on the basis of that single piece of work.

Procedures

(a) In all reviews, it is expected that the process will be carried out expeditiously by the reviewer/s.
(b) Marked materials held by the instructor must be retained for twelve months after the end of the term. Students are expected to return graded assignments for review by the reviewers. Such assignments cannot have been altered (please refer to the section on university regulations governing academic offences)
(c) Work will be reviewed, as requested, in a manner that ensures that all concerns raised by the student(s) have been properly addressed taking into account the course outline and/or any other instructions given by the instructor, and that the totalling of the marks and other items contributing to the grade were done accurately. In instances where consistency in grading is being considered, a minimum of three other pieces of class work completed by other students will be examined by the reviewer(s).
(d) The grade originally assigned for a single piece of work may be increased, remain the same, or be lowered as a result of the review.
(e) In reviews of a Group Project involving two (2) or more students, the instructor has the right to change the grade awarded to each student if the grade is to be altered.

10(B) Review of final course grade

(a) Prior to requesting a formal review of a final grade, students will discuss the grade with the instructor. For a team-taught course the co-ordinator of the course will replace the role of the instructor. Where no course co-ordinator exists, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies will designate one of the course instructors as course co-ordinator.

(b) Students who are not satisfied with the decision of the instructor or course coordinator have the right to request a review of the official final grade received in a course on the proper form available in the Office of the Registrar. Such requests must be received by the Registrar, in writing, within 90 days after the end of the course or examination period, where applicable. A fee of $50.00 must accompany the request. The fee will be refunded if the grade is subsequently raised.

(c) Students should clearly outline the grounds for the request to review the final grade. Normally the grounds are restricted to one or more of the following grounds:

(i) the final grade is demonstrably unfair;
(ii) the calculation of the final grade was not consistent within the class;
(iii) the final grade was not calculated on all the work completed; or
(iv) there was a miscalculation of the final grade;
(v) compassionate, health-related or extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student which demonstrably had a direct impact on academic performance (It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation which demonstrates that such circumstances have had a direct impact on the academic performance of the student).

(d) The Registrar shall refer the request for formal review to a Committee consisting of:

(i) one member selected by the student;
(ii) one member selected by the instructor who is a member of the GAU; and
(iii) the Chair of the Department or Dean of the Faculty or a designate selected by the Chair or Dean, provided that the Chair, Dean or designate shall be a member of the GAU. In the event that the student or instructor is unable to select a member for this review committee, the Dean of Faculty will select.

(e) If it is a class action involving two or more students enrolled in a course, the students in the class requesting the review will select one member of the Committee. If more than one instructor, the instructors involved in the teaching of the course will select one member of the Committee. The required criteria for a grade review for a class action are:

(i) the grade of all members in the class requesting the review must be at issue;
(ii) the grounds for the review must be the same for all members in the class requesting the review; and
(iii) the requested outcome of the review must produce a consistent result for all members in the class requesting the review.

(f) The Committee shall interview the instructor(s) and student(s). The instructor(s) and student(s) may submit any materials relevant to the review of final grade.

(g) The decision of the Committee will be forwarded to the Registrar with a copy to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The decision with reasons must be given in writing and provided to the student(s).

10(C) Appeal of review of final grade

(a) Students who are not satisfied with the decision of the Committee referred to in paragraph 10(B) above (Review of Final Course Grade) have the right to appeal the results of a review of a final course grade. Such appeals must be submitted within 4 weeks after the date of the decision of the Committee by notice in writing to the Registrar.

(b) Student(s) should clearly state the grounds for the appeal. The grounds for appeal of final course grade are limited to:

(i) the decision of the Final Grade Review Committee was made without due regard to proper procedure such that the student was materially disadvantaged; and/or
(ii) the decision of the Final Grade Review Committee was made in a manner which was not fair in all of the circumstances.

(c) The Registrar shall refer the appeal of Fredericton Campus students to the Senate Student Standings and Promotions Committee; on the Saint John Campus, the appeal will be referred to the Student Appeals Committee.

(d) The Registrar shall give notice to the student, or the person acting on the student's behalf, of the time and place of the appeal hearing and shall give access to the students or the person acting on the students' behalf to all materials relevant to the appeal.

(e) The Registrar shall give notice to the instructor, Chair of the Department and Dean of the Faculty concerned of the time and place of the hearing and request any written materials relevant to the appeal be filed with the committee in a manner such that the right of access provided for in subparagraph (d) shall be facilitated.

(f) The relevant Appeals Committee shall hear and determine the matter. The decision of the Committee shall be final, shall be provided to the student(s) in writing, and no right of appeal exists to the same Appeals Committee from this decision except as follows:

Where new evidence becomes available to the student(s) of which the student(s) were unaware at the time of the original Committee Appeal Hearing, through no fault of the student(s), and prior to any proceedings commencing before a Senate Review Committee, the relevant Appeals Committee may, upon written request of the student(s), summarizing such evidence, elect to hold a further hearing to consider such new evidence and, if deemed appropriate, hand down a further or other decision on the appeal. The relevant appeal committee shall have the sole and only discretion to hold a further hearing pursuant to such written request.

(g) If the Appeals Committee finds in favour of the appellant(s), it normally shall refer the review of final grade back to the Departmental or Faculty review committee for reconsideration with such reasons, directions and recommendations as the Appeals Committee may determine. In the exceptional case where the Appeals Committee determines that the student(s) would be disadvantaged by a referral back to the Departmental or Faculty review committee, the Appeals Committee reserves the right to alter the final grade.

(h) The procedures to be followed by the appeals committee are as follows:

(i) Student(s) must have the opportunity to appear, in person, or via conference call or video conference (at the request of the student(s)), to present oral and/or written submissions on the matters at issue on appeal.
(ii) Student(s) must have an opportunity to respond to any submissions made by any other parties in the appeal and have an opportunity to present final argument and summation at the conclusion of the hearing.
(iii) Student(s) must have an opportunity to direct questions to any other parties in the appeal hearing.
(iv) Other parties must be given an opportunity to direct questions to the student(s) in the appeal.
(v) Members of the appeal subcommittee may question any and all parties with respect to the matters at issue in the appeal, inclusive of the student(s).