The next step to becoming a doctor after graduating from the Texas Tech University School of Medicine is finding a hospital where you can complete your residency. It’s a very stringent selection process that will see you competing against medical school graduates from all over the country. Your medical school transcripts are one of the most important criteria hospitals use when considering residency applications.
Are you a Texas Tech University School of Medicine student who believes you have been graded unfairly by one of your professors? Although it can be deflating to receive a grade that you don’t think reflects the quality of your work, the good news is that the grade isn’t necessarily final. You have the right to appeal for a grade change, and the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team can help. Call us at 888.535.3686 or contact us online.
The Grade Appeal Process Exists for a Reason
Completing your residency at a highly respected hospital can propel you to a meaningful career. That’s why you worked so hard while attending medical school. However, one bad grade could be the difference between getting the residency you wanted, settling for your second choice, or not getting selected for residency anywhere. The unfortunate aspect of this reality is that grading can be very subjective.
Although most professors strive for fairness, they’re human, and all humans can make mistakes or allow a subconscious bias to influence the way they grade. The administration at Texas Tech is aware of how being graded unfairly can negatively impact your post-academic career. Accordingly, the university has a grade appeal process for students who believe they’ve been graded unfairly.
Taking advantage of this process is your right as a student, but that doesn’t mean it is straightforward. Texas Tech has a specific procedure that dictates who can file an appeal and how the appeal must be filed. If you don’t follow that procedure to the letter, your appeal can be denied. That’s where the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team can help. We have helped students file successful grade appeals at universities across the country, and we can help you, too.
Who Can File Appeals at Texas Tech University?
Texas Tech’s grade appeals policy is designed to ensure fairness in the academic process, but it is not a blank check. Any student who wishes to file an appeal must meet the following criteria:
- Only final course grades can be appealed, meaning you can’t file an appeal after getting a grade you disagree with on a test or on a particular assignment
- Only full letter grades can be appealed meaning there is no appeal to request a modification of a “plus or minus”
- Appeals must be filed with the Dean
Before filing an appeal, you are required to speak to the professor or instructor who gave you the grade. If you feel this conversation does not yield a fair result, you must then address your concern with your instructor’s department chairperson or division head. Once you have exhausted both of these options without reaching an agreement, you can file an appeal with the Dean of the School of Medicine.
There is also one failing grade that cannot be appealed through the grade appeal process, and that is one where your professor or instructor has given you a failing grade because they suspect you have committed “academic misconduct” (e.g., cheating) as defined by your student handbook. In that case, the professor must inform the division chair and the university registrar about the failing grade.
Depending on the circumstances, the university may initiate a formal investigation, and you may be subject to discipline. The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team can also represent you in academic misconduct investigations.
You Have a Limited Time to File an Appeal
Your appeal must be filed in writing on an official Texas Tech grade appeal form no later than 45 days before the start of the next full semester following the one in which you received the grade you wish to appeal. Your appeal must also include evidence or information in support of your claims.
This is your first formal contact with the Medical School, and you’ll want to make it count. It will be an important aspect of your case, and the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you create a statement that makes your case clear and concise.
What You Must Demonstrate for a Successful Appeal
For your appeal to be successful, it must persuade the appeals committee that there was “prejudice, or arbitrary, or capricious action” by the professor or instructor who gave you the grade. Examples of prejudice may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Racial or ethnic bias
- Religious bias
- Gender bias
- Bias against your sexual orientation or LGBTQI status
Bear in mind that this is only a partial list of common biases, but many others exist. If you believe your professor or instructor’s grade was motivated by a bias not listed here, please consult our office for a consultation. Aside from bias, an example of “arbitrary or capricious” action would be your professor or instructor giving you a lower grade than normal for non-academic reasons, such as simply “not liking” you.
The burden of proof in meeting the university’s appeal criteria is on you. This is where our team can be of assistance in your case. We can subpoena university records, which may uncover a history of prior bias or improper grading by the professor whose grade you are appealing. Our team can also examine the professor’s past teaching positions or interview former students.
This is the kind of evidence you may not be able to uncover trying to handle an appeal by yourself. It’s time-consuming work that could distract you from your studies. By contrast, you’ll be free to concentrate fully on medical school if the LLF National Law Firm is helping you with your case.
What Happens After You File Your Appeal?
After the dean receives your appeal, they will gather more information about your case. That usually includes a written statement from the professor whose grade you are appealing but it may also include copies of your exams and other coursework. The dean will provide you and the Medical School with copies of the information they collect and also forward it to the college grade appeals board.
Who Serves on the College Grade Appeals Board?
The college grade appeals board is made up of the following people:
- A chairperson with voting power
- Two members of the medical school teaching faculty
- Two students previously designated by the dean
How Does the College Grade Appeals Board Work?
Once the board has received the dean’s presentation, it will meet as often as necessary to consider the case and all the relevant evidence. They may ask you or the professor to appear personally. You don’t have to attend meetings unless the board specifically requests your presence, but you do have the right to be there if you choose.
The board will then vote on the case and provide the dean with a written explanation about their decision to uphold or change the grade. If they recommend a grade change, the board will also specify what grade they think is appropriate. The board members who voted in favor of the grade change are also required to sign the final decision.
After that, the dean will consider the board’s recommendation before making a final ruling on the appeal. The dean can accept the board’s recommendation in full, in part, or reject it outright in favor of their own judgment. You will receive written notice of the dean’s decision shortly after. If the dean requests a grade change, your professor will initiate a process to have it officially changed on your transcripts.
Things to Consider When Filing Appeals
Appealing a grade is a serious step that many medical students may be reticent to take. After all, you may be filing an appeal against a professor whose recommendation you need for your residency. Although not wanting to rock the boat is an understandable instinct, having a bad grade on your transcript can do just as much harm. That’s why it may be beneficial to consult with our office before filing. We can discuss the merits of your case and help you consider all the potential outcomes.
How the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team Can Help
Graduating from the Texas Tech University School of Medicine is a defining achievement in your life, but your grades will have a huge impact on how your career unfolds after graduation. Being graded unfairly or in an arbitrary manner by just one professor could do significant harm to your future. You don’t have to accept it, and there is a way to fight back.
The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you in every aspect of your grade appeal, from evidence gathering to helping craft the strongest appeal statement possible. We will ensure the university handles your appeal impartially and transparently, while advocating for your best interests at every stage of the process.
There may also be an opportunity to reach a mutually agreeable settlement with the university. Our team won’t leave any stone unturned in fighting for the best possible outcome. If you believe you’ve been graded unfairly, call The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team at 888-535-3686 or reach out to us online immediately.