Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Dorit Naaman,

My name is Sofia Guido, and I am a fourth year student specializing in Political Studies. I am the President of the Departmental Student Council, and have met you at ASUS Assembly.

I am writing to respectfully submit a petition requesting a formal review of the grading of my final examination in DEVS101 from the Fall 2025 term. This petition is based on my inability to obtain sufficient feedback or explanation for the grade assigned to my final examination despite multiple good-faith attempts to do so through informal review with the course instructor, as required by university policy.

Following the release of final grades, I calculated my final course average as 82.7%, placing me 0.3% below the 83% threshold for an A. Given that I am a fourth-year student applying to master’s programs, my final-year grades carry significant academic weight.

The day that I received my grade, I contacted the course instructor, Dr. Marcus Taylor, to ask whether there was any discretion to review the final examination or to receive feedback on my performance. Dr. Taylor indicated that grade boundary adjustments were not permitted, which I acknowledged and fully respected.

Immediately following this response, I did not pursue grade adjustment, but instead requested the opportunity to review my final examination and understand the basis for the grade assigned, so that I could identify where my responses may have fallen short and how to improve academically.

Between December 18 and December 31, I sent several polite follow-up emails requesting access to the exam or an explanation of the grading. On January 7, Dr. Taylor responded that there was no formal marking scheme, explaining that the exam was graded collectively by himself and the teaching assistants using comparative standards, and that no comments, breakdowns, or annotations exist beyond a single percentage grade.

I then followed up to ask whether, in the absence of a marking scheme, there was any way to understand why my exam received a B+, given that I felt my responses demonstrated strong engagement with the course material. I did not receive any further explanation addressing the substance of my answers or the criteria applied to my work.

I am submitting this petition not because I am requesting a discretionary grade increase, but because I have been unable to access meaningful feedback or an explanation for my final examination grade, despite repeated and reasonable efforts to do so.

Under university policy, students are entitled to request an informal review of graded work and to understand how their academic performance was evaluated. In this case, the absence of a marking scheme, comments, or written justification—combined with the instructor’s confirmation that no such materials exist—has left me with no way to assess whether my work was evaluated fully or accurately.

This situation places me at a disadvantage in two key ways:

1. I cannot determine whether any portion of my responses may have been under-evaluated, particularly given the subjective nature of essay-based examination grading.

2. I am unable to learn from the assessment, undermining the pedagogical purpose of evaluation and feedback.

Throughout the term, I performed strongly and remained fully engaged with the course. I prepared extensively for the final examination and felt confident in my understanding of the material. The final exam result therefore stands in contrast to my expectations based on my academic performance and preparation.

While I understand that instructors retain discretion in grading, I am concerned that the lack of transparency or reviewability in this case prevents meaningful verification that my exam was assessed in accordance with the standards communicated in the course.

In light of the above, I respectfully request that the Office of the Associate Dean (Academic) facilitate a formal review of my final examination, or advise on an appropriate remedy that would allow for:

1. An independent reassessment of my exam responses, or

2. A determination as to whether the grading process complied with university expectations regarding fairness, transparency, and student access to feedback.

I am prepared to submit any required materials and fully understand that the outcome of a review may result in the grade remaining unchanged.

I submit this petition in good faith and with respect for both the instructor and the academic process. My goal is not preferential treatment, but rather assurance that my work was evaluated fully and fairly, and that I am afforded the opportunity to understand my academic performance.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Sofia Guido