Grade Appeal Policy

Effective 7/1/2025

To whom this policy applies

University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) Medical Students

Purpose/background

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) strives to maintain the highest academic standards for our students. Formative and summative assessment of knowledge, skills and behaviors as defined in the UNR Med Medical Education Program Objectives is necessary to demonstrate that students are meeting these academic standards. This policy outlines the procedure for the appeal of a course grade for any portion of the medical education curriculum.

Definitions

Course: Any UNR Med course, block, clerkship, elective or other curricular component for which a grade is assigned.

Instructor: In the preclerkship curriculum, this refers to the Block/Course Directors. For the clerkship and elective years, this refers to the clerkship/elective director.

Department Chair: For departmental courses, this refers to the Chair of the department for the specific course. For non-departmental courses, or for those in which a department chair is not available, this refers to the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs.

Policy

This policy describes the procedure by which a student may appeal a final course grade. Grounds for grade appeal are:

  • There was a clerical/administrative error in the calculation and/or assignment of the grade;
  • The grade assignment was based on factors other than the student's performance in the course and/or completion of course requirements; or
  • The student was held to more demanding standards than other students in the same section of the course.

Grade appeals must be filed within 14 calendar days of the grade assignment.

This process does not apply to allegations of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty will be referred to the Student Promotion and Conduct Committee in accordance with the Medical Student Professionalism Policy.

Process

There are four sequential steps in the grade appeal procedure:

  1. Student notifies the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs of their request for a grade appeal.
  2. At the direction of the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs, the student meets with the instructor and/or the department chair to come to a possible resolution of the grade appeal.
  3. If, after consulting the instructor/department chair, a resolution cannot be reached and the student still feels the grade assignment meets one of the three grounds for appeal above, the student submits the online Grade Appeal Request Formhe Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs.
  4. The Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs works with the instructor or department chair to do the following:
  • Appoint a grade appeal committee which shall consist of the following:
    • One student in good standing currently enrolled at the institution
    • One faculty member from within the department or specialty
    • One faculty member from outside the department or specialty
    • One committee chair (from within or outside the department or specialty) – non-voting
  • Within 45 calendar days of the Grade Appeal Committee’s receipt of the grade appeal request, the committee must request relevant documentation and meet with the student and instructor.
  • The committee must conduct a grade appeal meeting to render the final decision.
  • The grade appeal committee must provide a written summary of the results and final decision and reasoning to the student, the instructor and the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs within 7 calendar days of the conclusion of the grade appeal meeting.
  • If a grade appeal is approved, all documents will be provided to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs to include in the student’s record and notify the Registrar of the grade change.
  • All discussions regarding the grade appeal are confidential and shall involve only those who need to have access to the information in accordance with FERPA.

Review

Approved by Medical Education Steering Committee, 05/16/2025