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► Academic Appeals
Academic Appeals
What can I appeal against?
You can appeal to challenge your degree classification or any mark you have received which stops you progressing on your course (for example, a failed module). You can appeal against any mark that you receive for a University exam or assessment. If you disagree with a mark you have received for an assignment, seek advice from the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union can help you find the most appropriate way to challenge your mark.
On what grounds can I appeal?
In order to appeal you must be able to show why the mark or classification you are appealing against is unfair, or does not represent your true academic potential. There are no specific grounds you must base your appeal on but common examples include:
Mitigating circumstances (like illness or personal problems) that affected your performance, which you were unable to tell your department about at the time
Insufficient consideration of mitigating circumstances which your department were aware of
If you believe your degree classification was not calculated correctly
A procedural problem over the way an exam or assessment was conducted
Disputes over extensions or penalties for missed deadlines
We recommend that you speak to the Vice President Education and Welfare about your grounds for appealing before deciding whether to appeal.
If you would like your assessments to be re-marked you will normally have to pursue an Academic Appeal to explain why you believe that this can be justified.
What advice and help can I expect to receive from the Student’s
We are able to assist with the following:
· helping you to decide if appealing is the best course of action for you
· explaining how the process works
· checking the calculation of your degree classification
· advising you on how to structure your appeal letter and concluding comments
· appearing with you at the Committee on Special Applications as your supporter
APPEALS LETTERS
SUGGESTED FORMAT
This information is designed to help you make your best case in formalising an appeal. Remember that you are providing information to people who a) don’t know personally b) don’t know the details of your circumstances c) don’t know the reasons Your letter should make clear your desired outcomes AND provide appropriate evidence.
Please note that a letter of appeal is different from a letter expressing a complaint. A letter of appeal is concerned about an academic result; a letter expressing a complaint (e.g. about the behaviour/performance of a particular member of staff) is designed to draw the University’s attention to a deficiency in some aspect of the management or delivery of a University service and/or a particular institutional shortcoming. Such a shortcoming may well form part of, or be a significant reason for a student’s failure, but it is a separate issue for investigation. For this reason, and where appropriate, letters of appeal and of complaint should be submitted separately. You should also note that a letter of complaint can result in staff being formally disciplined under staff disciplinary procedures. For this reason some caution should be exercised in asserting a complaint, in that any perspective on staff misconduct is potentially defamatory, consequently care should be taken in ensuring appropriate evidence for any claim and for couching complaints in appropriate language.
Letter of Appeal
1 Address the letter to the Registrar (Ms Pauline Aldous) copy it to the Dean of Faculty and to SU VP Education and Welfare (if involved).
2 State the following clearly
your name
your programme
your year of study
your contact details
3 State clearly
what it is that you are appealing against(e.g. a result)
for what modules
what your preferred outcome would be
4 Explain briefly why it is that you are appealing (what is the justification of your appeal)
elaborate on this logically
identify the evidence you have for your claim
identify any failure on your part in following University procedures and why this occurred
5 Provide any background information by way of mitigation (if this is relevant to your case)
6 Sign off
7 Include supporting evidence where appropriate
E.G.
Ms Pauline Aldous Registrar
Re:- Appeal
Ms/Mr J Bloggs
Physics and Chemistry programme
Year 1
Tel 01904 777777
Dear Ms Aldous,
To whom it may concern,
I would like to appeal against
· the decision to terminate my programme
· the decision to deny me the opportunity to resit modules x,y,z
· the grades given to me in modules x,y,z
· the final classification of my degree
I would hope that if successful in my appeal I would
be permitted to resit modules x,y,z
be allowed to continue with my studies
have my work remarked/the grades of my work reconsidered
have a higher classification of degree
The reasons for this are: (two possible scenarios)
1 The University has acted appropriately but there are reasons for my failures/weak results which a) have not been divulged at all b) have not been fully divulged c) outside my control
2 The University has made a mistake/has been in default.
The details of this are as follows:
1a). I fully accept the marks that have been awarded for the modules I have failed/performed poorly on, and that the University marked the work appropriately, however, you will not be aware, but my mind was taken over by another in the period during which I had to submit my work. As a consequence I was not in a position to reveal to the University what had happened, the work submitted was not mine and it was of a far lower standard than my usual contribution.
· I would be grateful therefore if I could be given the chance to resubmit the work and have it marked for the first time
· You will see that I have enclosed the following as supporting evidence
· a transcript of my marks to date showing the difference between my previous grades and those for the semester in dispute.
· a letter from my psychiatrist supporting my claim
· a letter for the ‘other’ who took over my mind
1b) I fully accept the marks that have been awarded for the modules I have failed/performed poorly on and that the University marked the work appropriately, however, you will only be partly aware of the circumstances prevailing at the time. You were aware, since I submitted evidence through the mitigating circumstances process, that I was highly stressed in the period leading up to the submission of my assignments. What you will not be aware of was that I was involved in covert operations for the government during that period. I could not reveal this information at the time since it was classified. I can now indicate that the work involved in these operations was such as to totally distract me from my studies so the level of stress I suffered was far greater than I was able to identify at the initial stage.
I am sure that you will accept that my failure fully to divulge the full circumstances of my condition, at the time, was completely out of my control. This is the first opportunity I have had to make you aware of these circumstances.
You will note that I missed the possibility of gaining a first class degree by 1 percentage point
You will also note that every mark I have achieved up to this stage has been in the first class category.
· I would therefore like the classification of my degree reconsidered.
· I enclose as evidence:
· a transcript of my marks to date showing the difference between my previous grades and those for the semester in dispute.
· a letter from my commanding officer confirming my claim
· a letter form my medical officer identifying the effects of the stress I suffered.
1c) I fully accept the marks that have been awarded for the modules I have failed/performed poorly on and that the University marked the work appropriately, however, you will not be aware, but I was abducted by aliens on the night before my exams so my absence at the exams for all my modules was outside my control. I have been on another planet since then so I have had no chance to advise you of my circumstances. I am sure that you will accept that my absence was completely out of my control. I had every intention of attending for the exams and was in fact making my way to University for my first exam when I was abducted. I therefore had no chance to contact the University to advise them of my absence. This is the first opportunity I have had since my return to earth to make you aware of these circumstances.
· You will see that I have enclosed the following as supporting evidence
· A letter from the alien abduction unit confirming my abduction
· a copy of the ‘release letter’ from the aliens concerned.
2.1 I am concerned at the marks I have received for the module 1 ZX 300. I received the lowest possible marks for this module supposedly on the basis of a non submission. I did, in fact, submit all that was required for the module, to the School Office, by the official deadline and I have the receipts to prove it.
· I would be grateful for this issue to be investigated and for an appropriate mark for my work
· You will see that I have enclosed the following as supporting evidence
· A copy of the receipts for my work
2.2 I am concerned at my final degree classification. There appears to have been a miscalculation. I have been given a 2.i but on my calculation I should have been given a first.
· I would be grateful for this issue to be investigated and for an appropriate re-classification of my degree
· You will see that I have enclosed the following as supporting evidence
· A explicit calculation identifying what I believe to be the University’s mistake.
2.3 I am concerned at the marks I have received for the examination in module XZ 3001. I have received the lowest possible mark for this examination. I like others on this module attended as requested on the day of the examination. We were specifically advised that the examination would be held in Temple Hall. When we arrived at Temple Hall it had been air lifted out for the day. I, like my colleagues, was therefore denied an appropriate opportunity to fulfil the examination. You will appreciate that this was not my fault.
· I would be grateful for this issue to be investigated and for an appropriate opportunity to sit this examination for the first time.
· You will see that I have enclosed the following as supporting evidence
· A letter from the University Porters and Security Staff conceding the absence of the facility on the day in question
· A letter from the SU .confirming that all the students in my cohort were similarly affected.
Yours sincerely,
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