Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am appealing the final grade that Professor Tusche has given me for the course PSYC 398/ECON 443 in the Winter 2020 semester.

Professor Tusche used the ¿¿numbers in, letters out¿ method of grading for this course. My numerical percentage at the end of the course, with all components of the course completed, was 79.952. This grade was converted to a B+ as indicated by SOLUS. During the winter semester, the COVID pandemic required all students to return home and learn remotely. I was required to complete all of my subsequent assignments and exams at home. The altered structure of my courses were determined by my professors. One of my final exams were cancelled, but I still had 2 final exams to complete from home (one of which was PSYC 398). My professor for another course had given students 5 days to complete the final exam. Professor Tusche, however, gave students 2 days to complete the final exam for PSYC 398; I found this time span to be definitively harder than the rest of my courses. Nevertheless, I appreciated the accommodations that all of my professors gave students during this difficult time.

When I received my final grade of B+ for PSYC 398, I emailed Professor Tusche inquiring about why my numerical grade was converted to a B+ and not an A-. According to the Queen¿¿s University Grading Scale (see attached), a B+ is equivalent to a 77-79.9. As my grade is higher than this (as stated, I received a 79.952), I was rather confused. I asked Professor Tusche about this, to which she replied ¿¿The grade was not rounded up¿ (see attached email conversation screenshots). However, I also asked her to provide me with the exact numerical grade she had in her grade book, and she did not. She refrained from answering me once I subsequently asked her if there was any route I could take to rightfully claim my grade of A-. Receiving this grade is crucial to my future and my possibility of entering a master¿¿s program after fourth year.

Considering the extenuating circumstances of the pandemic in which PSYC 398 was my only course that I had to complete a final exam in a short period of time, I believe it is just to give me an accurate grade. My grade of 79.952 does not fall into the percentage conversion of a B+. The exam format was changed last minute and I was required to complete it during a time of fear and anxiety. Further, my inquiries about my final grade were ignored and I was left to manage on my own. I was unable to meet with Professor Tusche in person, attend office hours, or lectures from mid-March onwards.

After this pandemic is over I hope to return to business as normal, where I can attend lectures and receive adequate education that I pay for through tuition. I believe my grade for this course was not translated fairly, as it should be an A-, and my requests and needs for this course were not met.