UNMC College of Medicine (COM) students appealing a grade, not involving academic probation or dismissal, shall proceed as follows:
"Grade" refers to any transcript-level final grade, performance on a summative assessment (e.g., Phase 1 examination, clinical performance exams such as an OSCE), or narrative comments about a student's performance that are entered into a student's official record or MSPE.
Grounds for appeal:
- There was a clerical/administrative error in the calculation or assignment of the grade/narrative
- The student believes the grade was prejudiced or capricious
- The grade assignment/narrative did not follow COM/UNMC policies or procedures
If a student believes that there are grounds for appeal (as noted above), the student must first contact the instructor to seek a resolution. Consultation with the instructor must take place within one calendar week (7 days, excluding UNMC-sanctioned student breaks and holidays) of the day the final grade's posting and before taking any additional action regarding the grade appeal is undertaken.
College of Medicine Instructor Contacts
- Phase 1: Click here to reference the Phase 1 Co-Directors
- Phase 2: Click here to reference the Clerkship Director
- Phase 3: Click here to reference the Elective Instructor
- Click here to reference the Career Specialty Track Director (Off-campus Preceptorships or Away Rotations)
If there is not a satisfactory resolution for the student and within one calendar week (7 days, excluding UNMC sanctioned student breaks and holidays) of receiving the instructor's written decision, a written appeal should be made to the Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum using the Student Grade Appeal Submission Form.
After submission of the Student Grade Appeal Form, an Appeal Board for the COM will be convened.
No grade appeals will be heard outside of the above timeframes. Multiple appeals related to a single course/clerkship/elective will not be considered.
Grade Appeal Board Membership
The Board will be appointed and convened by the Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum.
The Board shall consist of three (3) COM faculty members, all with equal voting status. The Board shall not include current members of the Medical Student Evaluation Committee (SEC) or, COM faculty who have direct oversight or involvement in performance assessment and evaluation within the Phase during which the grade is being appealed, or other individuals who might have a conflict of interest as outlined in the COM Conflict of Interest Policy. Each member of the Board and the student will be asked to sign a formal document stating that they have no real or known potential conflict of interest with the student or members of the Board, respectively.
The members of the Board shall select one of the members as Chairperson. The Chairperson shall, in all cases, vote as a member of the Board. The Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum or designee shall function as secretary to the Board. The secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings and does not have a vote.
Grade Appeal Board Process
All steps and the appeal process will follow the UNMC Appeals for Academic Evaluations Guidelines.
The Board will be convened at a predetermined time and place.
The student requesting an appeal will be given notice of the time and place of the Board meeting, its membership, and the procedures to be followed.
An appearance by the student before the Board is not mandatory. The decision of the Board is independent of the student's appearance before the body. The purpose of providing the student with access to the Board is to guarantee that all required information is considered and to reassure the student that the Board’s actions will be careful and deliberate.
- Any student who accepts the calendar invitation to appear before the Board is expected to attend at the notified scheduled time and place.
- If extenuating circumstances arise preventing the student from appearing at the scheduled time and place, the student must contact the Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum as soon as possible so that efforts can be made to reschedule their appearance before the Board.
- If a student does not communicate in advance of the start of the scheduled time, the Board’s meeting will proceed.
- If extenuating circumstances arise preventing the student from appearing at the scheduled time and place, the student must contact the Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum as soon as possible so that efforts can be made to reschedule their appearance before the Board.
- Any student who declines the calendar invitation to appear before the Board may submit a written statement at least 48-hours in advance of the meeting time. This must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum to be reviewed by the Board to clarify other information not already expressed in the initial Student Grade Appeal Submission Form.
Declining an invitation or failure to appear before the Board at the scheduled time are not grounds for an appeal of the Board’s decision.
The student must show by a preponderance of evidence that the grade in question was assigned in an improper manner based on the grounds listed above.
After consideration of all the presented written and/or oral statements, the Board shall decide, by a majority vote, either to overturn or uphold the assigned grade. The decision of the Board will be based solely on the information presented, discussion at the meeting, and will be restricted to matters of process. The decision of the Board is final.
All grounds and relevant supporting information related to the grade appeal must be provided to the Board by the time of its meeting.
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: February 25, 2020
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: March 22, 2022
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: November 28, 2023
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: May 28, 2024
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: September 24, 2024
Reviewed and approved by the Curriculum Committee: March 25, 2025
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: January 27, 2026
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: July 28, 2026