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Petition Letter: Request for Review of Grading Fairness in MATH 337
I am writing to raise a concern about the way attendance appears to have been handled in MATH 337 and to ask the faculty to review this issue before final grades are released.
My concern is that attendance seems to have been used as a bonus that could affect students’ final results, even though attendance was not listed in the written course outline as part of the grading scheme. The syllabus states that the course grade is based on three in-class tests worth 54% in total, one computational assignment worth 10%, and the final exam worth 36%. The attendance policy only says that students who miss class are responsible for missed assignments and announcements. I did not see anything in writing indicating that attendance itself could affect a student’s final result.
What concerns me most is the lack of transparency. From my understanding, this attendance bonus was mentioned in class rather than clearly communicated in writing to all students in advance. If something can affect a student’s final standing in the course, I believe students should be informed clearly, in writing, how it works and how it may be used.
I also raised this issue with the instructor and was told that attendance was considered a “bonus” rather than an “assessment.” However, from my perspective, if it can affect the final outcome, then it still has a real impact on grading. I am concerned that this was not handled in a transparent way and may not have treated all students equally. In particular, students who were not present when this was announced may not have had the same notice or opportunity as others.
At this point, I am not asking the faculty to simply change a mark before final grades are issued. Rather, I am asking for a clear determination of whether this approach is consistent with the written course outline and whether it meets the standard of fairness and transparency that students are entitled to expect. I am concerned that I was placed at an unfair disadvantage by a grading practice that was not clearly set out in writing.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask that the faculty review this issue, provide clear direction on whether this grading approach was appropriate, and ensure that all students are treated fairly and consistently. If this attendance-related bonus was used in a way that affected my final grade, I further ask that my final grade be reviewed and recalculated in a way that is consistent with the written course outline and fair to all students.
Thank you for your time and consideration.