Course and Clerkship Grade Return/Appeals of Grades and Data

Rationale

The BSOM seeks to outline a clear timeline for grade/data submission and a process for grade/data appeal for all required courses and clerkships. A clear timeline and process allows all parties to work together in an orderly and efficient fashion.

Scope

This procedure addresses grades assigned in all BSOM courses and clerkships as well as narrative assessments in courses within the foundational curriculum (traditionally M1 and M2 year). There is a separate procedure (Medical Student Performance Evaluation) which outlines the appeal process for summative narrative clerkship comments that enter the MSPE.

Any deviations from this procedure will need to be reviewed by the year-specific promotion and review committee.

Responsibilities

Course/Clerkship Directors (or designee)

Must review learner evaluation and examination performance and enter final letter grades and narrative assessments (for courses with a narrative assessment requirement) into Elentra within six (6) calendar weeks of the end of a clerkship (clinical curriculum phase)/two (2) calendar weeks of the end of a course (foundational curriculum phase). Final numeric grades must be submitted to the BSOM Registrar within the same time frame.

Directors (or their designee) are required to discuss the basis of appeal with a learner within ten (10) business days of the request for an appeal. A decision must be delivered to the learner in writing (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Deans for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days of the discussion. If it is agreed that a grade will be altered, the Director must submit a change of grade form to the BSOM Registrar so the change can be made on the official record.

BSOM Registrar

Enters final numeric grades in course into Banner. Responsible for accountability of Course/Clerkship Directors to the timeliness their grade submissions. Must notify the Associate Deans for Student Affairs of any courses/clerkships out of compliance with the submission deadlines. Responsible for all changes of grade once an initial grade has been entered by a Director in Elentra. The Registrar will file all official ‘change of grade’ forms in the student’s official record.

Office of Student Affairs

Completes a yearly report of grade submission timeliness, by course/clerkship, to be submitted to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and reviewed by the Executive Curriculum Committee.
Medical Learners (Medical Students): Must initiate an appeal of a grade/narrative assessment within ten (10) business days of receipt of the data (submission in Banner/Elentra constitutes receipt).

Department Chair

Once involved in an appeal, the Chair (or their designee) must discuss the basis of the appeal with the learner within ten (10) business days of the request from the learner. After the discussion with the learner, the Chair must submit a final decision to the learner (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Deans for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days.

Promotion and Review Committee

If a learner, Course/Clerkship Director, and Department Chair cannot find consensus on a grade/comment appeal, the student has the option to appeal to the year-specific Promotion and Review Committee for a final decision. The Committee must meet to discuss the matter within ten (10) business days of notification of the appeal request by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

The learner and the Director will have the opportunity to present their perspectives to the Committee. The Committee will decide by majority vote and is required to deliver a decision to the learner (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days. The Committee’s decision is final.

Outline of process

1. Course/Clerkship Directors will submit their grades and narrative comments into Elentra by the deadline (6 calendar weeks after the last day of class for clinical curriculum phase, 2 calendar weeks for foundational curriculum phase).
2. A learner wishing to contest a course/clerkship grade or narrative assessment should first attempt to resolve the matter with the Course/Clerkship Director. The learner must reach out by email (explaining the rationale of the appeal) within ten (10) business days of receipt of the grade. Directors (or their designee) are required to discuss the basis of the appeal with the learner within ten (10) business days of the request for an appeal. A decision must be delivered to the learner in writing (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days after the discussion. If it is agreed that a grade will be altered, the Director must submit a change of grade form to the BSOM Registrar so that the change can be made on the official record. Directors should NOT make grade changes in Banner – these are handled through the Registrar exclusively.
3. If the Course/Clerkship Director and learner cannot find consensus, the learner can appeal to the Department Chair (in writing – email is preferred) within ten (10) business days. Once involved in an appeal (through notification by an email from the student), the Chair (or their designee) must discuss the basis of the appeal with the learner within ten (10) business days. After the discussion with the learner, the Chair must submit a final decision to the learner (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Deans for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days. If resolution of the appeal occurs with this step, the Director must submit a change of grade form to the BSOM Registrar so that the change can be made on the official record. Directors should NOT make grade changes in Banner – these are handled through the Registrar exclusively (at the BSOM).
4. If a learner, Course/Clerkship Director, and Department Chair cannot find consensus on a grade/comment appeal (or if a course does not sit within a clinical or basic science department with a Chair, eg – Foundations of Doctoring, Radiology), the learner must notify the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (Foundational or Clinical) to request an appeal to the year-specific Promotion and Review Committee for a final decision (email notification is preferred for documentation). The Committee must meet to discuss the matter within ten (10) business days of the date of notification of the appeal request. The learner and the Director will have the opportunity to present their perspectives to the Committee. The Committee will decide by majority vote and is required to deliver a decision to the learner (email is preferred with a copy to the Associate Deans for Student Affairs) within ten (10) business days after the meeting. The Committee’s decision is final with no further appeals.

Procedures for Implementation and Review

This procedure is to be reviewed/approved by each of the year-specific Curriculum Committees, each of the year-specific Promotion and Review Committees as well as Executive Curriculum Committee every three years.

This procedure will be disseminated by the Office of Student Affairs to students and teaching faculty/administration as part of a ‘student handbook’ during orientation each year.

Related Policies

11.2.1

Applicable Laws, Regulations & Standards

LCME Standard 11, Element 6