UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG - UMUC Europe

RigHts And REsPonsibilitiEs oF tHE studEnt
ACAdEmiC intEgRity
Integrity in teaching and learning is a fundamental principle
of a university. UMUC believes that all members of the
university community share the responsibility for academic
integrity, as expressed in the University System of Maryland
“Policy on Faculty, Student, and Institutional Rights and
Responsibilities for Academic Integrity.” This policy may be
found in Section III, Academic Affairs, of the USM policies
and procedures at
www.usmd.edu/regents/bylaws/SectionIII/III100.html.
At UMUC, faculty members are expected to establish
classroom environments conducive to the maintenance of
academic integrity by promptly giving students a complete
syllabus (in UMUC Europe, faculty members make their
syllabi available online by the first day of registration)
describing the course and its requirements, grading submitted
work promptly and adequately, and arranging appropriate
testing conditions, including examinations monitored by
faculty members in face-to-face (on-site) classes.
Students at UMUC are expected to conduct themselves
in a manner that will contribute to the maintenance of
academic integrity. Failure to maintain academic integrity
(e.g., academic dishonesty) may result in disciplinary action.
Students are responsible for understanding and avoiding
academic dishonesty and plagiarism, whether intentional or
unintentional. The definitions of academic dishonesty and the
procedures for pursuing complaints of academic dishonesty
are described in UMUC Policy 150.25, “Academic Dishonesty
and Plagiarism,” which can be found at
www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. It is also available in
Appendix H of this Catalog.
APPEAling A gRAdE
College and university students inevitably encounter faculty
members who vary widely in teaching philosophy and
demeanor and who use different teaching styles. Not only is
teaching influenced by course content, there are also many
ways of conveying the same material. It is only natural that
students will like the style and personality of some faculty
members more than others. Disagreement with a faculty
member over demeanor and teaching style, however, is not
grounds for a grade appeal. Students have the opportunity to
express their opinions on these matters through the course
evaluation forms they complete for every UMUC Europe
course.
Regardless of teaching style, it may happen that a student
believes a faculty member’s determination of a final course
grade has been arbitrary and capricious. The phrase “arbitrary
and capricious grading” is defined in UMUC Policy 130.80
(in Appendix F) as:
G A final course grade assigned on some basis other than
performance in the course; or
G A final course grade assigned by resorting to unreasonable
standards different from those that were applied to other
students in that course; or
G A final course grade assigned by a substantial,
unreasonable, or unannounced departure from the faculty
member’s previously articulated grading standards.
A student who believes his or her final grade to be the result of
arbitrary and capricious grading should first confer promptly
with the faculty member of the course. There is a time limit
on appealing a grade; students who want to appeal a grade
must initiate the process within 30 days of the posting of the
grade.
If the student has not been able to contact the faculty member
after a reasonable effort, or if the student and faculty member
cannot, after consultation, reach a satisfactory resolution,
the student may file a written request with the appeal
administrator (the associate dean, UMUC Europe) asking
how the final grade was calculated. If the course was offered
via distance education, the student may also ask the director,
Distance Education for information.
Procedures for appealing a grade are detailed in UMUC Policy
130.80, “Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and
Capricious Grading.” This can be found in Appendix F of this
Catalog and at www.ed.umuc.edu/policy/aa13080.shtml.
www.ed.umuc.edu 35
RiGHTs And
REsPonsiBiLiTiEs