Did not receive 8 EC points I earned

[Physics_UG]

So my final grade for communication systems was posted and I got a B. This surprised me because I expected an A since I did quite well throughout the semester and I thought I performed well on the final exam. Plus, I thought I had 8 extra credit points that I earned for helping the EE department at the open house (8 points is a LOT of points in his class and would bring my B to an A-). Well, I emailed him and according to him I didn't do well on the final (20/32) and I did not receive the EC points.

He told us a couple days before the open house that if we attended and signed the sign-in sheet we would receive 8 EC points. I arrived at the open house and there was no sign in sheet, so the EE lab coordinator told me to make a sign in sheet and to give it to her. I did just that. Apparently my professor never asked if there was ever a sign in sheet created and never received the sign in sheet. I suppose I should have notified him that a sign in sheet was made, but I didn't do this.

The prof told me via email that the two other students that showed up received the 8 points because they told the prof that they attended the open house before the final grade was computed. However, the prof never instructed us to tell him we attended...all he told us to do was sign the sign in sheet. I did just that.

So at this point I am a bit annoyed so I email one of the other profs that was actually at the open house who knew that I was there to email my professor and verify that I was there. My professor received this email and still refuses to change my grade since he feels he didn't make any mistake and that I should have told him I was there before the final grade was computed.

Why can't he just give me the points and change my grade? I earned the points and another prof is backing me up on this. Should I get the points? I think I am going to talk to the department chair tomorrow and see what he thinks.

Also, I told him I wanted to see my final exam sometime this summer, but he said they won't be available for students to view until the Fall. Do I have to wait, or do I have the right to examine my final at an earlier time? I kinda wanted my grade to be changed if there was a problem with my final before I send off applications for graduate school at the beginning of the Fall.

 

[TMFKAN64]

I don't see how you have any good course of action here. You've pointed out that you were there... if your professor doesn't want to change your grade, there is literally nothing that can force him to. I honestly suggest you just move on...

 

[cepheid]

1. It's peculiar that a prof who was giving out bonus points for students to attend the EE open house wasn't at the open house, or if he was, that you never bumped into him at the open house. Especially since department open houses often have open lab tours, so you could have sought him out and said, "hi, I'm here." Even so, you could have solved your problem easily by telling him you were there the day after the open house, and that there was no sign in sheet, so you followed an alternate procedure suggested by another prof. One simple e-mail could have solved this problem. He is right that you ought to have had a bit of foresight. 2. That having been said, *strictly speaking*, from a technical standpoint, you earned the bonus points. So if you want to talk to the department chair, fine, go ahead. But don't expect your prof to be happy that you went over his head. He'll be even LESS accomodating now that you've made a nuisance of yourself and shown a disregard for his final decision. A prof has complete authority over a course he administers, and many don't like it when that authority is challenged.

3. As for whether you have the right to view your exam, I don't know what University you go to, but my University has an offical policy document written up with articles like a constitution. You should check and see what your rights are. Technically speaking, at my University, students have the right to view their exams. In practice, profs are often reluctant to do so, because it's a hassle for them

 

[Physics_UG]

1. It's peculiar that a prof who was giving out bonus points for students to attend the EE open house wasn't at the open house, or if he was, that you never bumped into him at the open house. Especially since department open houses often have open lab tours, so you could have sought him out and said, "hi, I'm here." Even so, you could have solved your problem easily by telling him you were there the day after the open house, and that there was no sign in sheet, so you followed an alternate procedure suggested by another prof. One simple e-mail could have solved this problem. He is right that you ought to have had a bit of foresight.


2. That having been said, *strictly speaking*, from a technical standpoint, you earned the bonus points. So if you want to talk to the department chair, fine, go ahead. But don't expect your prof to be happy that you went over his head. He'll be even LESS accomodating now that you've made a nuisance of yourself and shown a disregard for his final decision. A prof has complete authority over a course he administers, and many don't like it when that authority is challenged.

3. As for whether you have the right to view your exam, I don't know what University you go to, but my University has an offical policy document written up with articles like a constitution. You should check and see what your rights are. Technically speaking, at my University, students have the right to view their exams. In practice, profs are often reluctant to do so, because it's a hassle for them

No, he was not there, and I should have informed him that I was there the day after the open house. I failed to do this and for this reason he is probably right. I am just going to have to cut my losses and move on.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Cepheid is right, maybe you should look up your rights as a student. Inform yourself, it's always good.

Anyway, the idea of going to the chair is fine, only if you won't get the same teacher again or he/she's cool. Sometimes, teacher may hold a grudge against a student (i'm not saying all of them), but a few do, so beware.

In my opinion, move on...