Unfair Late Points

Okay so recently I handed in a paper late to my professor, but it was handed in on the same day it was due. It clearly states in the syllabus that late papers are only considered late if they are a calendar day late, which my paper was not. Now they are saying that the late policy says that any paper that is one day late or less will receive 10% off. Is she allowed to do that when the syllabus clearly states otherwise?

What exactly, word for word does the syllabus say? My guess is it says there will be 10% off for every calendar day late, which means immediately after the deadline to 24 hours later is 10% off. This is pretty standard. Calendar day refers to the fact that days you do not have class, including the weekend count for this policy.

You said yourself that you handed the paper in late. I agree with the above that the clock would start running for the calendar day late immediately after the deadline. If you want clarification talk to the professor, but it does not seem unfair since you missed the deadline and took more time to complete the assignment than your peers in the class.

The topic should be relabeled “Fair Late Points”. It was late. To be fair to everyone else in the class, you should have points deducted.

You handed it in after class.

It wasn’t on time. That means it was late.

Your actions have consequences. There’s nothing “unfair” about it. “Unfair” would have been to give you the same grade as your classmates who had less time to complete the assignment because they got it done before the start of class.

To quote Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest: “Ah, but nobody ever said life was fair, Tina.”

Is she allowed? Yes. Her class, her rules.

As @guineagirl96 says, we can’t see the syllabus, nor do we know if she had a later revision, which would supersede earlier versions.

However, your best course of action is to speak with her.

  1. Look at the syllabus that may be online in your online classroom management system (Blackboard, etc). or the one you were given in class. See what it says. it is the “contract” between the professor and students.
  2. Talk to the professor during office hours about what you did vs. the syllabus says.
  3. If you still feel that you were not late according to the latest syllabus, then talk to the department head.