UVic students are fed up with final grade delays
Illustration by Abby Koning.
Is there anything more frustrating than spending countless hours scrambling to finish a final, only to still be refreshing UVic’s grading portal awaiting your results in January?
Your stomach anxiously stirs: Did I fail? What if I made a mistake? Why is it taking so long? If you relate, rest assured, you’re not alone. Receiving final course grades often feels like more of an elaborate punishment than an academic process.
As students, we dedicate our lives to school and work hard to succeed. We spend tens of thousands of dollars on rent, tuition, groceries, and other expenses. It’s natural to question whether we should get more out of this experience. When delayed final grades are thrown into the mix, it can take a toll on students’ mental health.
As the semester comes to an end, anxiety is at an all-time high for many students. After months of hard work, emotional turmoil, and sleepless nights, waiting for final grades feels like another test that we did not sign up for. Delayed grades bend our patience and push us to overthink our assignments and efforts.
Fourth-year political science student Eva Starsage had an experience that most students dread:
“I received my final grade and final paper mark on Jan. 6, so I was anxious about that. It was frustrating…. Knowing my grade would’ve helped me work on my final exams.”
According to Senate deadlines, grades must be submitted within seven calendar days after the course ends if there are no final exams. For courses with final exams, grades must be submitted within seven calendar days after the exams are written. For courses with final assignments, grades must be submitted within seven calendar days after the assignment’s due date.
While it’s understandable that professors have heavy workloads, there must be a balance between student well-being and professor responsibilities. Professors should understand that a delayed grade can hinder a student’s future planning. It can be challenging to schedule future semesters without knowing the big picture of your academic standing.
In addition, conditional work-study positions, classes, and internships can all be affected by a slight change in a student’s GPA. Fourth-year English student Faye Duffy is no stranger to the challenges of schedule planning.
“Some of my grades came back after Christmas, which made it difficult to organize my schedule for next semester. I wanted to retake a class because I may have failed, and I needed to know my final grade first,” she said.
Professors should have to communicate with students about upcoming grade release dates — especially if they extend past regulated guidelines. This would minimize students’ stress, and ensure that students and professors are on the same page. By improving communication, implementing stricter guidelines, and practicing more grade transparency, UVic can work towards fixing the way final grades are currently sent out.
