"I can't appeal. They'll think I'm just a complainer who can't accept getting a bad grade."
"You have to appeal. Keep it open -- when is the deadline for appealing?"
I shook my head. "I don't know..." I quickly searched through the calendar for the regulations. I had thirty business days to appeal the grade. There was even a section that reinforced that professors had the right to set the course expectations and use their expertise to evaluate student performance "unless substantive and objective evidence to the contrary is presented."
"What substantive and objective evidence can I present?" I turned to Luke, who was looking over my shoulder at my laptop computer screen.
"Your supervisor said it was worth an A."
I nodded. "But would he be willing to say that if I appealed the grade?”
"You can only ask. Send him an email. Tell him what your grade is. Ask him if he would be willing to speak on your behalf or send a letter of support, indicating what grade he would have given the paper."
I made a face, not relishing the thought of having to send such a letter. "Oh, ugh. How debasing to have to do that."
"Do you want a better grade?" Luke raised his eyebrows.
I sighed. "Of course I do, but I want my prof to think I deserve it. I don't want him to give it to me under duress.”
He took hold of my shoulders and kissed my cheek warmly. "You have to try. Email him. See what he says."
I nodded and opened my email program.
"Do you want a soda?" Luke asked as he went to the door to the office. "I'm getting a beer."
"Sure," I said and exhaled loudly and dramatically. "Maybe put some hemlock in it while you're at it."
Luke came right over and bent down until he met my gaze. His expression was so serious, his brow furrowed.
"Don't joke about that."
"I'm sorry." I closed my eyes. Maybe I was being a child about it. "I won't do it again. I was trying to be funny."
He kissed me tenderly. "It's never funny.
Then, he left the room.
I started a new email, addressing it to my prof. I pondered the subject of the email.
Request for a grade appeal
Appeal Request
Grade Appeal Request
I wasn't sure which one to use, so I just used Appeal. I'd ask Luke about which subject line to use later.
I received my grade for your class and am respectfully requesting a grade appeal for my International Relations Directed Reading course.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Alexa Dixon Marshall
I remembered talking to him after my marriage and him raising an eyebrow when I admitted that I took Luke's last name, while also keeping my own surname.
"It isn't changed on my system yet," he said. "Please contact Michelle to make sure it goes through."