Appealing Grades: Rutgers Business School

If you are a student at Rutgers Business School New Brunswick and you want to appeal a grade, there are a few steps you should follow. Firstly, it is important to attempt to resolve the issue through discussion with your instructor. If this does not work, you can specify in writing the basis for your complaint and request a review by the departmental chair or program director. If the issue is still not resolved, you can appeal in writing to the office of the dean of the faculty offering the course. It is important to note that there are specific procedures for different programs and that the appeal process may vary depending on the nature of your complaint. For example, if your complaint is based on technical error or extenuating circumstances, you must provide appropriate documentation. It is also important to act in a timely manner, as there are deadlines for submitting appeals.

Discuss with instructor

If you want to appeal a grade at Rutgers Business School, New Brunswick, the first step is always to discuss the issue with your instructor. It is best to have this discussion face to face, either during office hours or by scheduling an appointment.

When discussing your concerns about a grade, present your case factually: explain how you believe your work meets the criteria and rubrics that the teacher gave you for the class. Be as specific as you can. If your appeal is about an instructor not accepting late work, present proof of any unanticipated and extraordinary circumstances that caused you to submit the work late. If you believe the assignment instructions were ambiguous, explain how you interpreted them.

It is important to avoid emotional language and personal attacks when discussing your grade with your instructor. It is also a good idea to admit any culpability you may have, for example, if you missed a deadline or didn't follow all the instructions. You can then ask for the opportunity to improve your grade, re-submit your work, or complete additional work.

Your instructor knows your work and is in the best position to evaluate it and give you opportunities to improve your grade. Therefore, discussing the issue with them first is always the best approach and is much more likely to result in a grade change than appealing to a department chair or dean.

Written complaint to the department chair

If you are a student at Rutgers University and you wish to appeal a grade, you should first attempt to resolve the issue through discussion with your instructor. If this does not work, you can then write to the department chair or program director, specifying the basis for your complaint and requesting a review.

Your written complaint should include the following:

• A clear and detailed explanation of the grounds for your appeal, including any relevant course information, such as the syllabus, materials, and graded work.
• Any written communication between yourself, the instructor, and any other relevant parties, such as a teaching assistant.
• A description of any meetings or discussions held with the instructor or other relevant parties to attempt to resolve the issue.
• Documentation to support your appeal, such as medical records or personal statements.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Briefly introduce yourself and the purpose of your letter. Provide your full name, student ID number, and the course or program for which you are appealing a grade.

Paragraph 2: Grounds for Appeal

Explain the specific reasons for your appeal. For example, you may believe that your grade does not accurately reflect the criteria and rubrics provided by the instructor, or you may have experienced extenuating circumstances that impacted your academic performance. Be sure to provide specific details and examples to support your claim.

Paragraph 3: Attempts to Resolve

Describe the steps you have taken to resolve the issue before filing a formal complaint. Mention any discussions or meetings you have had with the instructor, teaching assistant, or other relevant parties. Explain why these attempts were unsuccessful in resolving the issue to your satisfaction.

Paragraph 4: Supporting Documentation

Provide details of any supporting documentation you are including with your complaint. This could include medical records, personal statements, or other evidence that verifies the problems or extenuating circumstances you experienced. Explain how this documentation supports your case for a grade appeal.

Paragraph 5: Request for Review

Clearly state your request for the department chair to review your case and reconsider your grade. Highlight any specific actions you would like the chair to take, such as re-evaluating your academic work or considering procedural issues in the grading process.

Remember to write your complaint in a professional and respectful tone, using complete sentences and paragraphs. Avoid informal language or emotional appeals, and focus on providing a clear and comprehensive case for your grade appeal.

Appeal to the office of the dean

If you are a student at Rutgers Business School and you want to appeal a grade, there are a few steps you should follow. First, you should attempt to resolve the issue through discussion with your instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved between you and your instructor, you may specify in writing the basis for your complaint and request a review by the departmental chair or program director. This written complaint about a grade for work completed while the course is in progress must be submitted no later than two weeks after receiving the grade. If your complaint is about your final course grade, you must submit it no later than four weeks after the posted date of the official notification of grades.

If you are still unsatisfied after this, you can appeal to the office of the dean of the faculty offering the course. This appeal must also be in writing, and you should summarise the situation as best you can, explaining what was assigned, what you submitted, and what happened when you discussed your concerns with your teacher and the department chair. The Dean's Office is only concerned with issues of process and will not evaluate the quality of your academic work.

It is important to note that the appeal process should not begin with the Dean's office. The situation should be resolved within the department if possible, and the Dean's office is the final level of review.

The Rutgers website also provides a checklist of items to include in your appeal:

• A clear explanation of the grounds for the appeal
• A copy of the course syllabus
• The course materials at issue (e.g. the graded exam or assignment, including your responses, grades/points marked or deducted, and comments)
• Any other relevant course information on the assignment or grading in question
• A clear description of any meetings between you and the Instructor and/or Undergraduate Chair that may have taken place in person, virtually, or in office/student support hours
• Any and all written exchanges between you and the instructor, TA, and/or department about the issue. This should include the complete unedited correspondence and the written decision of the department official who reviewed the appeal.

Grounds for appeal

To appeal a grade at Rutgers Business School, New Brunswick, students must first attempt to resolve the issue with their instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved, students can then appeal to the departmental chair or program director. The specific grounds for appeal at this stage are not outlined, but students should specify in writing the basis for their complaint and request a review. This must be done within two weeks of receiving the grade.

If the issue remains unresolved, students can then appeal in writing to the office of the dean of the faculty offering the course. The grounds for appeal at this stage are the same as the previous stage, and the appeal must be submitted within four weeks of the posted date of the official notification of grades.

If the decision of the dean is still not satisfactory, students can appeal to the Academic Standing Committee. Grounds for appeal at this stage include technical errors or extenuating circumstances, such as severe medical problems or family crises. The appeal must be written by the student and should be comprehensive, elaborating on non-academic problems that affected their performance. Students must also include an academic and personal action plan that they will implement if reinstated.

Appeal submission deadlines

The appeal submission deadlines for Rutgers Business School, New Brunswick, are as follows:

The SAS Faculty Committee for Academic Standing reviews appeals three times a year, in January, June, and August. The deadlines for submission are as follows:

• January appeals are due by December 20th.
• June appeals are due by May 31st.
• August appeals are due by August 22nd.

Appeals that are submitted after the deadline may be reviewed during the following academic cycle.

Rutgers Business School students who are declared business majors and have been dismissed from the school may petition the Academic Standing Committee for reconsideration of their dismissal if there are extenuating circumstances that affected their academic performance.

The general process for grade appeals at Rutgers University is as follows:

• Students should first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion with the instructor.
• If the issue cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student may specify in writing the basis for the complaint and request a review by the departmental chair or program director.
• A written complaint about a grade for work completed during the course must be submitted to the chair or director no later than two weeks after receiving the grade.
• A written complaint about a final course grade must be submitted no later than four weeks after the official notification of grades.
• If the issue remains unresolved after the chair or director's review, the student can appeal in writing to the office of the dean of the faculty offering the course.

Frequently asked questions