PHOENIX — Don’t think the grade your college professor gave you is fair?
Legislation approved Thursday by the Arizona Senate would give students a new avenue to appeal by alleging “political bias” — and the teacher could be ordered to give a different grade.
“It’s a due process issue,’’ said Glendale Republican Sen. Anthony Kern. He said it’s based on conversations he’s had with students at Arizona State University.
“They do not feel they can debate issues according to their politics or according to what they believe because they’re afraid their grades are going to be lowered,’’ Kern said. “This is going to help them.’’
The 16-12 vote came despite objections raised by the Arizona Board of Regents, which would be responsible for setting up the system.
There already are remedies for students who think the grades they were given are not justified, regents’ lobbyist Thomas Adkins testified earlier this month before the Senate Education Committee.
He said it generally consists of an informal process where the student and the instructor have a conversation.
“That can escalate to a more formal process that can culminate into an academic grievance hearing committee,’’ Adkins said.
He said there are cost concerns about creating another department within the Board of Regents, especially since the legislation includes no money, although the first level of the new appeals would be handled by volunteers selected by the board.
“It does create an unfunded burden on the agency to try to manage those offices and recruit volunteers,’’ Adkins said.
Kern, who has repeatedly criticized the Board of Regents, was not swayed.
He said no one has explained to him why the Board of Regents is even needed.
He said he isn’t convinced the board is serving any purpose by being the conduit through which universities are funded. “Why isn’t the Legislature giving the universities direct funding?’’ Kern asked.
As approved by the Senate, the measure would require the regents to set up a department to hear grade challenges based on bias. That department would be staffed by volunteers who could determine there was bias and could order the faculty member to regrade the student’s assignment or reevaluate the student’s overall class grade.
Students not pleased with the department’s ruling then could appeal to the Board of Regents, which also would have the power to order a new grade on the assignment or the overall class grade.
The measure nearly failed.
Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, had previously vowed to vote against it, saying he did not support setting up a new division with the board “when there’s already structures within the universities.’’
On Thursday, though, Bennett agreed to provide the necessary 16th vote in the 30-member Senate.
He told Capitol Media Services afterwards that Kern promised to make changes when the measure now goes to the House. What those changes will be, Bennett said, he does not yet know.
“I’m working on it,’’ Kern responded, but provided no specifics.
But Bennett said that if they are not substantive, he will work to kill the measure somewhere in the process. He said his concern is simply making sure that the existing appeals process works without involving the Board of Regents.
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