One thing worse than getting a bad grade in a class is getting that bad grade when you don't think you deserved it.Addressing that discrepancy between whether a student's perceived academic performance in a class and the actual letter grade he or she received are one in the same has been an issue in a recent discussion topic for the Undergraduate Council.

The council is discussing whether to shorten the period of time that students have in order to file a grade appeal to five days, a good decision on the council's part.

This process would also benefit the faculty members who are involved in grade disputes.

Any disputed grade would therefore have to be challenged in a reasonable amount of time so that the issues in question would still be fresh on the minds of everyone involved.

That's just a matter of fairness to faculty members.

It also means that students will now bear greater responsibility in initiating the process – which is how it should be anyway.

Students bear that responsibility all semester long; this process shouldn't be any different once the semester has been completed.

The council met Friday to make a decision but decided to table the issue until nuances in the policy could be fully addressed.

The council's decision to table the issue should be applauded given the past problems that have arisen with the process last semester, such as lack of members to hear student appeals.

This time, the council is determined to get it right.

Its diligence will benefit all students in the long run but only as long as students take the initiative to take advantage of the improved appeals process and not waste time voicing their concerns about their grades.

News editor Andrew Chavez for the editorial board.