Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 7270
Decision Date: February 16, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Keiley Fineberg
Student Email: 17krf@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 318
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kyle Johannsen
Dear Keiley Fineberg:
I am sorry to have read that experienced issues with regards to submitting the correct exam in PHIL 318 (F 2020) and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in that course due to the impact that circumstance had on this course and your final grade. After reviewing your appeal letter and the information we have received from your instructor, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, adjusting a final grade due to technical issues is not considered an extenuating circumstance. Further, upon investigation, we received extensive information from your instructor who advised that he did not hear from you regarding an error until after the final grade was posted. Normally if a student submits the wrong assignment, they would advise the instructor immediately. I know you indicate that it wasn€™t until you received the final grade that you realized your error, but we have no proof to ensure the exam was not altered between the due date and the time you asked to submit it again since screen shots are not considered valid documentation. In addition, in your appeal you mention that the file name this course required was very similar to another file name required in another course however the information we received from the instructor indicates that he did not instruct students to use any particular file name and students were free to name their file whatever they like.€¯€¯
If you wish to appeal this decision to the Board of Studies, you must do so within 21 days of receiving this letter. Information can be found at www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€). Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20105280Fineberg
Cc: Professor Johannsen
Decision Date: February 16, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Keiley Fineberg
Student Email: 17krf@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 318
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kyle Johannsen
Dear Keiley Fineberg:
I am sorry to have read that experienced issues with regards to submitting the correct exam in PHIL 318 (F 2020) and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in that course due to the impact that circumstance had on this course and your final grade. After reviewing your appeal letter and the information we have received from your instructor, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, adjusting a final grade due to technical issues is not considered an extenuating circumstance. Further, upon investigation, we received extensive information from your instructor who advised that he did not hear from you regarding an error until after the final grade was posted. Normally if a student submits the wrong assignment, they would advise the instructor immediately. I know you indicate that it wasn€™t until you received the final grade that you realized your error, but we have no proof to ensure the exam was not altered between the due date and the time you asked to submit it again since screen shots are not considered valid documentation. In addition, in your appeal you mention that the file name this course required was very similar to another file name required in another course however the information we received from the instructor indicates that he did not instruct students to use any particular file name and students were free to name their file whatever they like.€¯€¯
If you wish to appeal this decision to the Board of Studies, you must do so within 21 days of receiving this letter. Information can be found at www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€). Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20105280Fineberg
Cc: Professor Johannsen
Generated February 16, 2021 at 9:56:49 AM.