Academic Policies: Appeals and Complaints
Situations may arise where students are dissatisfied with an aspect of their academic experience at Richmond. The university welcomes feedback from students – if there is a genuine problem, Richmond officials need to be informed about it in order to respond.
There are several procedures in place for specific academic situations that have been outlined throughout the university's policies and procedures. To assist students in selecting the appropriate way of addressing an issue, these are reproduced below.
If in doubt about the correct avenue to follow, students should consult with their advisors.
An Appeal Against an Assigned Grade
Grades reported to the Registrar are considered final. If an instructor discovers that an error has been made in calculating or recording a grade, she or he must report this in writing to the appropriate Department Chair or Program Director, who will inform the Registrar of the grade change.
A student who wishes to appeal a grade must first ask the instructor to explain how the grade was calculated. If the student is dissatisfied with the explanation, she or he may appeal to the Department Chair or Program Director, whose decision is normally final.
Under no circumstances will a change of grade be considered after one year from the time the grade was issued.
This procedure is outlined in the "Grades" section of the Academic Standing page.
An Appeal to the Academic Standards Committee for an Exception to Academic Policy
If a student has a request for an exception to academic policy, he or she should submit a written petition to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC) for an exception to the stated policy.
Examples where a student might petition ASC include cases in which he or she has missed an exam and wishes to petition for a re-sit, or if a student wishes to take a 6th course in a single semester, but does not have the requisite minimum GPA of 3.4, or if a student wishes to withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline. Each case is considered upon its own merit -- the student's explanation and any documentation supporting the case is examined in detail by the committee before coming to a decision concerning a petition.
Petition forms can be obtained from the university website or from the Assistant to the Coordinator of Academic Advising or from the Office of Academic Affairs. Petitions must be submitted in good time for consideration by the ASC. On matters that do not involve dismissal, the ASC’s decision is final, and will be communicated to the student via email.
Further information on the ASC can be found at the Academic Policies: Non-Compliance and Exceptions page.
An Appeal Against a Conviction for Academic Dishonesty
Academic honesty is fundamental to the integrity of the University community. As such, Richmond’s policies and procedures concerning academic dishonesty are detailed, and should be consulted by any student who has been suspected of a violation. These policies and procedures can be found under the “Academic Honesty” section of the Academic Policies: Non Compliance and Exceptions page.
Students who have been found responsible for an incident of academic dishonesty, and who wish to appeal against the conviction, should follow the procedures outlined in the webpage noted above.
An Appeal Against the Attendance Policy
A demonstrably regulated attendance policy is required both by UK immigration law and by our accreditation bodies. Attendance is also of key pedagogical importance. See The Richmond Attendance Policy for further information.
Appeals against the Attendance Policy must be taken up directly with the instructor who has lodged the absence in a course. The instructor's decision is final.
The Student Complaints Procedure
For any complaints that a student may have which are not covered by the processes listed above, or if a student is dissatisfied with the result of a complaint or appeal, Richmond's Student Complaints Procedure outlines the way in which a student may make both informal and formal complaints on academic and non-academic issues.
Complaints to The Open University / The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
Students undertaking The Open University validated awards have an opportunity to submit appeals and complaints to The Open University if they are dissatisfied with the conclusion reached through Richmond procedures.
Students must first have exhausted all appropriate internal procedures at Richmond, INCLUDING the formal complaints procedure, before approaching The Open University.
If upon the conclusion of The Open University complaint or appeal, the student is dissatisfied with The Open University's decision, they may take their appeal or complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education.
All of these policies and procedures are outlined in section H3 of the The Open University's Handbook for Validated Awards, which is also available in the Richmond library.
Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/s/583.aspx
