STEP 1: SAVE AND ORGANIZE EVIDENCE

Keep copies of your graded assignments, original submissions, feedback from the professor, and grade rubrics. For example, you may want to highlight incidents in which the professor’s feedback or grading explicitly targets your Jewish identity rather than the quality of your work. For example, if the professor makes explicit comments, such as “I’m deducting points because you’re supporting a colonial project,” take note of the date, time, and context. Where appropriate and possible, you may also want to collect examples of similar assignments from other students to identify discrepancies in grading fairness. 

Before taking further action, it is usually a good idea to reach out to an organization like StandWithUs to help you evaluate the incident and determine an appropriate course of action that fits your situation.

STEP 2: REQUEST CLARIFICATION FROM THE PROFESSOR

When it appears that you may have been graded unfairly, you may want to first politely email the professor to request clarification about your grade. Avoid making accusations and instead, ask for specific feedback that explains the professor’s grading decisions.

An example of an email draft is provided below.

📩Click here for a draft you can use to request grade clarification 📩

STEP 3: ESCALATE TO THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR IF CONCERNS PERSIST

If the professor denies the bias or refuses to address it and/or remedy your grade, where appropriate, you may want to escalate the incident to a department chair or dean. When doing so, it can be helpful to submit all documented evidence, including assignments, feedback, and comparisons to other students’ work (if available). You may want to include a detailed account of interactions with the professor and any instances where they expressed bias against your Jewish identity. If appropriate, you may also want to politely request that the department chair review your grade and provide an impartial assessment as well as the next steps.

📩Click here for a draft you can use to follow up with an administrator 📩 

STEP 4: FILE A BIAS REPORT TO THE UNIVERSITY

If you believe there was antisemitic discrimination or harassment, you may also want to use the university’s official bias reporting system to document the incident, emphasizing how the professor’s actions violated academic fairness due to your Jewish identity. When submitting a bias complaint, it can be helpful to include all relevant evidence and a summary of how the grading unfairly targeted you due to your Jewish identity.